The Skype Syncopation
by katladyd
Summary: Sheldon and Leonard leave for Germany to give a month-long lecture series at the University of Heidelberg. While they are gone, them and their wives learn some things about life, love, and friendship. This is a sequel to The Assistant Conundrum, so it's pretty much the same characters. Note: I don't own any part of TBBT, not one bit of it.
1. Chapter 1

This story is a sequel to The Assistant Conundrum. The plot: Sheldon and Leonard are booked for a lecture series at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. While they are gone, both couples learn some important things about marriage, friendship, and life. If you haven't read the previous story, here are some clues as to what's going on: Leonard and Penny are still married and Penny is now a successful actress. Sheldon is married to Niki, his old assistant. They met when both of them were grieving the death of their respective spouses. They, along with Raj, won the Nobel Prize for Physics for their studies on using Black Holes for navigating the Space/Time Continuum. Raj is married to Amanda, a dark-haired beauty who is a professor of astrophysics at UCLA. Everyone else is canon. The group no longer works at Cal Tech. They have started their own research facility. This facility is located in Altadena and they own it along with their ghost partner, Binary LLC, a secret organization of powerful men who knew and admired Sheldon's work and his wife Niki's, ex husband, who was a very powerful attorney. Howard and Bernadette have a daughter who is 11, named Kelly. Leonard and Penny have a son, Blake, who is going on 2. Sheldon and Niki have a daughter, Lori, who is a few months younger than Blake.

Now that all that is out of the way, here's the story:

Chapter One: Two Couples Face a Departure

 **The setting:** **It is close to midnight.** **Sheldon and Niki Cooper are in their bedroom discussing his upcoming lecture series at the University of Heidelberg.**

Sheldon Cooper was pacing back and forth across the bedroom, venting his reluctance about his upcoming lecture trip to his wife, "But Niki, I don't see why I have to go to Germany. Why couldn't Binary have found someplace closer to home for me to have a lecture series?"

Niki , who after being with him for three years was by now used to her husband's issues with change, threw a robe over her negligee and headed for the kitchen, "Two simple reasons, Sheldon. We are both Nobel winners. Guest lecturing is part of the deal. We get money and recognition; the public gets a piece of us from time to time. I'll be doing it, too. I'm going to be spending the summer back at Stanford as a visiting professor. It's just how it's done. Plus, you used to be a guest professor at Heidelberg back in the day. They are proud to have you back with them. Even if it is for just a month."

Sheldon grabbed his own robe, wrapped it around his spare frame, and followed his wife out the bedroom door, "You make it sound so easy. Just a month. That is four entire weeks away from you, Lori, and all of our friends and family."

Niki filled a kettle with water for tea and put it on the lighted stove, "Not so, Cooper. Remember, you're taking Leonard with you. He was invited, too. They are very interested in the work you guys have been doing on dark matter. If you guys play your cards right, there could be more accolades coming your way in the future."

He came up behind his wife and put his arms around her, "I can't hold an accolade, and an accolade can't talk to me late at night."

Niki reached up and grabbed two cups from the cabinet, "Sheldon, it's only for a short time. We're now prominent scientists, we have to keep our names out there."

He hugged her tightly, "But I will miss you and Lori."

She turned and kissed him gently on the cheek, "And we will miss you. But we have to do what we have to do. I'm surprised Binary hasn't sent either one of us somewhere before this."

Sheldon watched as Niki took two tea bags from the box and placed them in the cups. He attempted to explain the fact of that to her as she did so, "Well, we do have a small child. Perhaps they knew we didn't want to leave her when she was an infant."

Niki grinned broadly at the mention of their daughter, "A small child who we both love and adore. But we are a team, Cooper. When you're on the road, I'll have my turn to be the main parent. I haven't had much of a chance to do that the last six months. You've had the opportunity to do the lion's share of the parenting lately. Now I want my turn. You're the one who saw her first steps, gave Lori her first taste of solid foods, heard her first word…"

Sheldon interjected, "Which was DaDa, if I must remind you."

Niki looked at him in exasperation as she poured hot water into the cups, "That's what I mean. I want my chance to experience some of her firsts."

He took the cup she offered him and stated, "Nobody forced you to go back to teaching".

Niki turned to him, her eyes a blazing, molten silver, "No, Cooper, they didn't. I wanted, no, needed to do that. Sheldon, research is all fine and good, but my heart has always been in teaching. You know that. I've never hidden it from you."

Sheldon placed a hand on his wife's arm in an effort to placate her. He was used to his wife's temper by now. Niki Cooper was an intelligent, thoughtful woman, but her temper sometimes got the better of her. Sheldon most often knew how to defuse it before she exploded. So, he continued with, "But why at PCC? You could have taught at USC or UCLA. They both wanted you for their schools. Amanda even offered to team teach with you."

Niki sighed and did a credible eye roll, much like her husband, "Cooper, I took the job at the community college because it's right down the hill. It's much closer to home than those two schools, wonderful though they are. You and Lori are very important to me. I wasn't about to drive an hour or more each way just to teach. Amanda loves teaching at UCLA because she and Raj don't have any children and Raj spends the night out there with her all the time when she doesn't feel like driving. We can't do that."

Sheldon sipped his tea and was immediately contrite, "I'm sorry, Niki. I didn't mean any disrespect. I just know you're better than teaching at that level."

Niki put her own tea down and challenged his assumption, "Excuse me, but there are some very bright students at PCC. Who knows? One of them could be the next Sheldon Cooper."

His eyes went wide and he gave her a sly smirk, "Niki, be honest. Another me? At a community college? I highly doubt it."

Niki picked up her cup and smiled at her husband over the top of it, "Perhaps not. The world can barely handle one. But still, some of my students there were very capable. Even so, I took this semester off to stay here with Lori while you're in Germany."

Sheldon finished his tea and wrapped his wife in his arms once more, "I will be lost without you both, Freckles. Please, give me one more reason why I should go."

Niki laid her head against his chest and smiled at his use of his seldom spoken nickname for her, "The money. They're paying you very well for this. Plus, Leonard could use the exposure. We have our Nobels. Let's give Leonard a chance to let people see and hear about his work. He's been a good friend to you all these years. Don't you think you owe him this?"

Sheldon released her, but not before kissing the top of her head tenderly, "Very well, you've convinced me. But we still have two days until I leave and I want us make good use that time."

She grinned up at him and asked, "Okay, what do you have in mind?"

His hands went under her robe, "You know very well what I want."

Niki nuzzled his neck and replied, "Well, let's check on Lori first, then we'll make our way back to the bedroom."

When they had made sure their daughter was safely asleep in her crib, they both returned to the kitchen to clean up after themselves. When the cups were rinsed and put into the dishwasher, Sheldon pulled her closer to him and whispered seductively, "Does it have to be the bedroom?"

Now it was Niki's turn to let her hands explore under her husband's robe, "Cooper, you're so bad! I love it!"

 **Meanwhile, over at the Hofstadter residence…**

Penny Hofstadter was pacing the area directly in front of the couch in the Great Room, waving her hands in the air to better make her point. They had put their son to bed hours before and they were having a little disagreement about Leonard's traveling plans. "I don't know why you have to go to Germany with Sheldon for a whole month!"

Leonard stood up from the couch and went over to join his wife, "Honey, we've been over this whole thing before. Sheldon and I have just published an important paper together. He's a Nobel winner. It's almost an honor to be asked to be a guest lecturer with him. Plus, this little lecture series we're giving will make sure our paper gets the attention of the right people.

Penny turned to him, agitation written on her face, and asked, "But for a whole month?"

Leonard sat back down and attempted an explanation of his situation, "Penny, guest lecturers going from the States to Europe generally stay at least a semester. They took into consideration that both Sheldon and I have small children at home, so we only have to stay there a month. Be glad that it wasn't longer."

Two tears escaped from Penny's eyes and made their way down her cheeks, "But Blake and I will miss you."

Her husband patted the seat next to him on the couch, inviting her to sit there, which she eventually did. Once seated, he told her, "And I'll miss you guys, too. But think about it. If this paper gets me better known, this could just be the beginning of my travels. Remember when Sheldon and Niki went on that speaking tour a couple of years ago?"

Penny nodded miserable, "Yeah. They only came home for a few days a month to eat and sleep. Then, they went right back out again."

Leonard then tried using reason to make his point, "I know that sounds pretty bad, but hey, you go out of town, too. Remember when you went to Georgia last year to film that miniseries? You were gone three months and you and Blake only came home every other weekend."

"I know. But the weekends I couldn't come home, you came to see us. This is different. I won't see you for a whole month!"

Leonard walked over to his wife, put his arms around her and whispered in her ear, "Why don't you come with me?"

She responded to his suggestion with an annoyed, "You know I can't do that. I'm starting a new play in a couple of weeks. And I have rehearsals and costume fittings before that."

Leonard's curiosity was peaked and he asked her, "What play are you doing again?"

Penny almost sounded as if she was bragging as she replied, "I'm playing Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire."

Leonard's face brightened, "Hey, I've heard of that one. Not like most of your plays. But whatever. I know you're going to be fabulous in it. Besides, once the run ends here, you'll probably be taking it on the road."

Penny shook her head and held up a hand with the palm facing Leonard, "Oh no. I don't go on the road. It's written in my contract. And we've got an open-ended run. I might be here for a while if the reviews and the attendance are good."

"They will be. Look, honey, when I get back we'll go up to Napa for a week. You know you love it up there."

Penny became glum once more, "When you get back. That seems like a million years from now."

Leonard began trying to reason with his wife, "Penny, when you went back to acting I told you that I didn't care how it would disrupt our lives. I would support you no matter what. I just wanted you to be happy. Do you remember that?"

She nodded solemnly and answered, "Yeah. I do."

Leonard took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Could you please do the same for me now? Look, we'll Skype every day, I promise. And Sheldon and I have already made plans to make a trip over to Paris while we're there and pick up some gifts for you and Niki. What would you like? Niki's already put in an order for some Chanel perfume and a Hermes bag."

Penny pulled her hand away angrily and told him, "I'm not Niki! I don't want any perfume or an old handbag. I want you!"

Leonard responded to that by placing his hand on her forehead, as if feeling for a fever, "Penny, your turning down perfume and a designer bag? Are you feeling okay?"

She took his hand once more and gave him a look of sincere appreciation, "Look, Leonard, I'll try to be supportive. You've always done that for me."

"And you and Niki can hang out together when neither of you is busy. You can even have playdates with the kids."

For the first time that evening, a bright smile appeared on her face, "Hanging out with Nik does sound like fun. And god knows the kids love playing together. Okay, I'll try to be supportive of this, even if I'll miss the hell out of you."

Leonard hugged her tightly and nuzzle Penny's neck, "That's my girl. Now, what do you say you show me how much you're going to miss me?"

Penny's mood immediately brightened and she asked him, "Oh? What do you have in mind?"

"I think I can come up with something."

Penny gave playful grin and grabbed him by the seat of his pants, "You're a devil, Leonard Hofstadter, and I love you to the moon and back."

Leonard grinned and took her hand, "Ditto. Now, shall we head for the bedroom?"

"What's the matter with right here?"

Leonard began to kiss her neck and replied, "Nothing. Nothing at all."

 **It looks like the guys are going to get a good send off, doesn't it?** **Do you think things will continue to go smoothly?**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Up, Up, and Away!

 **The guys take off for Germany.** **Will it be clear sailing for both of our couples?**

The following two days before the guys' departure were busy ones for both couples, though they each spent their time together in different ways. Leonard and Penny concentrated on family time at home. Days found them watching television, hanging out by the pool, or playing games with Blake. Their nights, however, belonged to the two of them after their son had been put to bed.

Sheldon and Niki had also concentrated on family time, though they spent little time at home. With their daughter, they visited the zoo, both grandmothers, The Aquarium of the Pacific, and the Hofstadters, Koothrappalis, and Wolowitzes. Their nights also belonged to the two of them alone and, like Leonard and Penny, they made great efforts to get in as much 'couple time' as possible before the men left for Heidelberg.

The morning of their departure found both couples stuffed, along with all the men's luggage, inside of Niki's car headed for the airport and a one p.m. flight. Leonard sat in the back with Penny, doing his best to put a smile on her face. Sheldon and Niki occupied the front seats and while Penny fought back tears, Niki was engaged in playing License Plate Poker with Sheldon.

"Look over there, Sheldon, the blue Volvo. Three nines and two Ks. Hah! A full house. Beat that if you can."

Sheldon peered at the back of the car closely and stated, "So it is. I challenge you to a rematch when I return."

Niki looked over at her husband and winked, "You're on! I can't wait to beat you again."

Sheldon snorted in a superior manner and replied to her challenge with, "Dream on, little lady. I am the king of license plate poker. You merely got lucky today."

Niki took the bait and threw him a smirk, "Is that so? We'll just see about that when you get back home."

Penny looked at the two of them and exclaimed, "How can you guys sit up there and play games when you know you won't be seeing each other for a month?"

When the car was stopped at a red light, Niki looked back at her friend and explained, "Penny, when Paul had a case out-of-town, I would sometimes go weeks without seeing him in person. Skype and other social media saved our marriage at those times."

Sheldon chimed in, "Yes, Niki and I plan to Skype each other at least twice a day. I have to keep my daughter from forgetting me."

Niki stuck her tongue out at him, "And your wife."

He grinned and winked at her, "You could never forget me, Niki."

Penny sighed, "Not even if she tried, which I'm sure she has."

Leonard patted his wife on the arm and gave her a mild reprimand, "Now Penny, play nice. Sheldon is one of our best friends."

"Yeah, and I won't see him for a month, too! I never thought I'd say this, but I'm going to miss the Wackadoodle."

Sheldon agreed with her, "Of course. Everyone will miss me. Isn't that right, Niki?"

Niki was more concerned for her friend than feeding her husband's ego, so she answered him an offhand manner and turned her attention to her bestie, "Uh, sure. Look, Penny. I'm going to make sure you don't get too lonely. We'll get together with the kids as often as we can. And we can go out for sushi whenever we can get a sitter. With both grandmas in town now, that should be easy."

Leonard put his arm around Penny and reminded her, "And honey, you're going to be starting a new play soon."

Penny wailed, "Whose opening night you won't be there for!"

Niki's face brightened as she got an idea and shared it with the group, "How about this, guys? Girl, let's bring my phone and the guys can Facetime us and see the play live. That could work. Leonard would not miss your opening night that way."

Penny sniffled and tried to dry her eyes, "I,I, I suppose that could work. The play starts at seven. What time would that be in Germany?"

Sheldon laid his hand on Niki's leg and replied, "To be exact, in Heidelberg it would be four a.m., rather early to be up. But I suppose we could manage it, right Leonard?"

Leonard hugged his wife tightly and responded, "I'd stay up all night to see Penny's opening night. Of course, we'll do it. Now, do you feel a little better?"

Penny sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, "A little. But you're still going to be gone a month."

Sheldon looked back at Penny and couldn't resist making a snide comment, "Yes. The last time I checked, four weeks was referred to as a month."

Penny's eyes narrowed and she spat out, "Shut up, Sheldon! Who asked you?"

Niki defended her husband, "Hey, he was just trying to help."

"Sorry, Nik. I know. I'm sorry I snapped at you, Sheldon. I'm just not at my best today."

Sheldon released Niki's leg for a moment and turned to address Penny, "Is the prospect of going without coitus for a protracted period of time weighing on your mind?"

"I take back my apology. Shut up, Sheldon. Again."

Niki had to laugh and reached for her husband's hand in a show of solidarity, "Sheldon, I think it's a whole lot more than no sex that is bothering her. She is really going to miss Leonard. As I will be missing you."

Sheldon looked puzzled and asked her, "I'm not following you. We will see each other daily, am I correct?"

Niki squeezed his hand and reminded him, "Sheldon, didn't you just tell me last night that you didn't want to go because you would miss me and Lori?"

He nodded, "Yes, but after you explained things to me, I had a change of attitude. This trip could be very important for me and Leonard and we should make the most of the opportunity. If we play our cards right, we could win an important award for our work. That prospect is most exciting."

Niki looked over at Sheldon and gave a cheeky grin, "Spoken like a true scientist."

Penny muttered under her breath, "Or geeky nerd."

Niki then had to concentrate on navigating her car through all the traffic heading into the airport, so she failed to hear Penny's words. Sheldon, however, had heard them and threw her an annoyed look. He suddenly brightened and shouted out, "Niki, the red Corvette, a full house! Yes! Cooper triumphs once more!"

Niki parked the car, looked over at him and threw down a challenge, "You know this means a rematch, Cooper."

"But of course. You're on, Miss Smarty Pants."

Leonard pleaded from behind them, "Could you two stop haggling for a moment and help us with the luggage?"

Niki looked back at him as he tried to wrestle a garment bag from the back seat while Penny held on to his left arm, 'What's the rush? It's a good ninety minutes until their flight."

Sheldon's head snapped up as he left the car and he blurted out, "Have you forgotten? We left the children with Wolowitz!"

Leonard handed Sheldon a suitcase as he asked him, "What's the matter with that? I thought you considered Howard great with kids."

Sheldon took the proffered luggage and replied, "Oh, I do. He has one of the best-behaved children on the planet. He is an exemplary parent. I was just thinking of the favor he will call in sometime in the future. Come, Niki. Let's hurry and help with the luggage so you and Penny can get home."

Niki hefted two flight bags from the trunk and answered him, "I'm on it. Penny, come help. We don't want the boys to miss their plane."

Penny refused to release her hold on Leonard's arm and answered her, "I know, but shouldn't we have time to say a proper goodbye?"

Sheldon did a very exaggerated eye roll, "Good lord! You've been married well over ten years now and you still have to have those nauseating 'goodbye' scenes?"

Niki threw her husband an ominous look, "Sheldon! Are you saying you don't want a proper goodbye with me?"

He helped pull a suitcase out of the trunk and replied, "Of course I do, Niki. But our goodbyes don't come replete with tears. We are both far more evolved than that."

Niki grabbed the last suitcase out of the trunk, handed it to Leonard, and sighed, "If you say so…"

And with that, the car was locked and both couples made their way over to the tram that would take them to the International Terminal.

Once inside, the men checked their baggage, received their boarding passes, and prepared to say their goodbyes to their wives. When Niki and Penny had walked with their husbands as far as they were allowed, the farewells began. Penny with tear-filled eyes and Niki with a slightly wistful smile. Penny clung to Leonard as if her very life depended on it, while Sheldon and Niki held each other close and whispered soft endearments and promises to Skype. When the time came for the men to leave, Penny turned away from all of them to hide her sobs. Niki waved enthusiastically to Sheldon and then went to tend to her friend, who was in obvious distress.

She put an arm around Penny's shoulders and attempted to soothe her, "Honey, it won't be so bad, believe me. I have tons of things planned for us to do. With and without the kids."

Penny sniffled like a small child and asked her, "Like what?"

"Well, tomorrow I have planned a poolside barbecue for you, me, and the grandmothers. The weather's been on the warm side, so it seemed like a good idea to throw a little party. It will be fun. Plus, we'll Skype with the guys while we're doing this. Does that sound good to you?"

Penny sniffed again and asked, "But what about work?"

Niki smiled and informed her friend, "Let's see, Howard asked if he could take the day off and go with Bernie and Kelly to Disneyland. It's Kelly's birthday, so how could I say no?"

"What about Raj?" Penny asked in a very small voice.

Niki's grin grew on her face, "Oh, about two weeks ago he put in for a day off so he and Amanda could go down to the Palomar observatory, he has to do some work there. Amanda loves the big telescopes, too, so she's going with him. With just me left at work, I decided to have us a little get together by the pool."

Penny's face brightened at her words and she hugged her friend fiercely, "Oh, Nik, you always know just the right thing to say to make it better. Thanks. Blake and I would love to come to the barbecue. What time does it start?

"Eleven. That way we have time to relax and swim before the boys check in with us at noon."

Penny nodded and then told Niki, "Okay. How about I show up with Blake around ten? I could help you set things up."

Niki's grin grew into a wide smile at her friends' reply, "Sounds good. Now, let's get headed for home. Sheldon was right about Howard, he's sure to want a big favor in exchange for watching the kids this long. I think we should get going before either of us owes him our second born."

Penny laughed out loud at that and asked her, "Are you guys thinking of having another one?"

Niki shook her head and answered, "Not seriously, no. But then again, we aren't doing much to prevent it, either. What about you guys?"

"Leonard says one is enough and I kinda agree with him on that."

Niki patted her friend on the shoulder in a show of solidarity, "Hey, at least you're both on the same page about it."

When they eventually arrived at the car, Penny turned to Niki and asked, "Hey, do you want to see their plane take off?

Niki thought for a moment and replied, "We'd have to go all the way back to the terminal to get a good enough look to actually see the plane."

Penny turned and grinned, "And?"

Niki giggled and took her friend by the hand, "Come on, girl. If we hurry, we'll make it just in time."

Both women stepped quickly and it wasn't long before they were both as near as they could get to viewing the plane's take-off. They both craned their necks upward as they watched the ascent of their husbands' flight. Penny waved wildly, tears streaming from her eyes, and called out, "Goodbye, Sweetie! I love you! Have a good flight!"

As the reality of the situation became clear to her, Niki gave a sad little wave to the plane and whispered softly to herself, "Goodbye, Schatzi. I'll miss you."

Then, both women walked back to the car and headed for home.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

When they arrived home, Niki and Penny went straight to Howard's office to collect their children.

Niki kneeled to hug her daughter, whom she had found enjoying a chocolate bar with Blake while sitting on the floor. "Thanks for watching them, Howard. You were a godsend. I can't imagine what we would have done having to haul all the luggage and two toddlers through the airport."

Howard grinned at Niki and her daughter, hugging on the floor, "Or trying to fit everyone in your car."

"That, too. Anyway, thanks Howard. We owe you one."

"I could take advantage of those words, but out of the kindness of my heart, plus the fact that you watch Kelly a lot, let's call it even."

Niki answered him as she worked at wiping a smear of chocolate from Lori's face, "Works for me. How were the kids? Any problems?"

Howard shook his head and hastily threw a candy wrapper into the trash can, "Nope. Kids love me, Niki."

She threw him one of her largest smirks and stared at the trash can and the top of his desk, "They also love your magic tricks and chocolate."

Howard immediately went into panic mode, "Don't tell Sheldon I gave her that, okay? He gets weird about that sort of thing."

Penny threw in a barbed comment in an effort to pacify their friend, "Howard, he gets weird about a lot of things. Sometimes I wonder how Nik does it."

Niki looked up from cleaning the chocolate smears from Lori's face, "It's not that hard. Sheldon has a lot of positive qualities, too."

Howard stared down at her and asked sarcastically, "Such as?"

Niki began to defend her husband, "C'mon guys. He's loyal, honest, generous, and…"

Penny finished cleaning the chocolate off Blake's face and blurted out, "And what?"

Niki shook her head and pretended to wipe off more candy from her daughter's face, "Never mind."

Penny laughed out loud and replied, "What she wanted to say and didn't is that he's good in bed. Right?"

"Penny, I like to keep some things private, okay?"

"Hey, girl. Everyone knows that you and the Wackadoodle are hot for each other. It's no big secret."

Niki shot her a warning glance, "Hey, the kids are here."

Howard was not about to let his friend's wife use that as an excuse to derail the conversation, "Come on, Niki, they don't have a clue what we're talking about. To them, good in bed means nap time without a fuss."

"And I want to keep it that way for as long as possible. Now, again, thank you. And have a good time at Disneyland tomorrow."

Howard began to help the ladies pack up their diaper bags as he answered her with, "We will. Bernie and Kelly are going to get one of those princess makeovers together while I score a turkey leg."

Niki's good humor was restored and she gave him a warm smile in response, "Sounds like fun. So, we'll see you at work on Monday. Tell Bernie hello and give Kelly my love."

"Will do. Have fun at your barbecue tomorrow."

Niki threw him a puzzled look, "How did you know about that? "

Howard was quick with his explanation, "Your mom just happened to tell Raj , who told Bernie, who told me. Word gets around pretty quickly among this group."

Niki stood up, her daughter cradled securely in her arms, "You can say that again. Well, me and my little munchkin are going home. Penny, I'll see you tomorrow."

Penny picked up her son and looked over at Niki, "At ten, right?"

"Sure, if that works for you."

"Yep. So, we'll see you then." Penny then turned to Howard and told him, "Oh, thanks for watching Blake, too. I appreciate it.

Howard waved goodbye to both women and accepted their thanks with a cursory, "Hey, it wasn't a problem. I'll see you all later."

With that, Niki and Penny picked up their children and headed out the door of Howard's office, hung a sharp left, and headed down the hall towards the double doors that opened up to the Great Room and the Hofstadter residence. At the door to Penny's bedroom, the ladies said their goodbyes and Penny headed for the nursery to put her son down for a nap while Niki went out the back door and crossed the yard, passed the pool and cabana, and continued on to her home. She paused briefly to look up to the sky before she sighed, opened the front door and stepped into her living room.

 **How do you think the pool party will go?** **Will Penny get over missing Leonard?** **Will the guys make it safely to Germany?** **Read on and find out.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Welcome to Germany!

 **The guys arrive in Germany and someone is acting out.** **Guess who?**

After a long and largely uneventful flight, Sheldon and Leonard finally landed in Frankfurt aum Main and disembarked from their plane. They both steeled themselves for the long trip through customs and were greatly surprised when they were whisked away from the other passengers and led to a small room where they were in and out of customs within fifteen minutes. Before they had time to ponder the reason for this they were ushered out of the room, handed their passports, and pointed in the direction of a serious looking young man holding a sign the read, "Hofstadter und Kooper".

Leonard began to chuckle in pleasant surprise as he pointed out the sign to Sheldon, "Look at that! For once someone got my name spelled correctly and messed up yours."

Sheldon immediately puffed up in indignation, "I fail to see the humor in that, Leonard. Let me go up to him and make the needed correction."

Leonard placed a mildly restraining hand on his friend's arm, "Leave it alone, Sheldon. He's probably not the one who made the sign in the first place."

"Leave it alone? Leave it alone? Would you be saying that if it was your name which was misspelled?"

Leonard kept a firmer hold on Sheldon's arm and explained to him, "Yeah, I would. It happens to me all the time. Come on. Let's go up to him and make our introductions."

"Very well. But please let me go first." Seeing the alarm on his friend's face, Sheldon quickly added, "Don't worry, Leonard, I won't make a scene." With that, he purposefully strode up to the man and introduced himself and Leonard with, "Excuse me, allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Sheldon Cooper, with a C, and my companion over there is Dr. Leonard Hofstadter."

Their host looked Sheldon up and down as if he were a lab experiment and replied, "I already knew who you were, Dr. Cooper."

"How is that possible?"

The young man gave him a bored look and answered in a matter-of-fact voice, "I was told to look for a tall man who looked like a praying mantis and a short bespectacled man with a rumpled jacket. It was actually quite easy to discern you from the other passengers."

Leonard finally made his way over to them and held out his hand in greeting, "Hello, I'm Dr. Leonard Hofstadter."

The man looked at Leonard, managed a small smile and responded to the greeting with, "Yes, Dr. Cooper has already explained that to me. Tell me something, is he always that anal?"

Leonard grinned and gave a short laugh, "Yeah, pretty much. You get used to it."

The young man gave a brief nod and told him, "I see. I have my doubts, but I will have to take your word for it." He then turned quickly and called to both men as he took off down the corridor of the airport, "Come, let us collect your luggage and get you two over to the university."

So, the three men made their way through the airport concourse, Leonard grinning and feeling like a rock star, Sheldon red with indignation, and their young host who seemed somewhat bored and annoyed with the entire endeavor.

Once they had collected their luggage, Sheldon and Leonard followed the man who had met them out to an obviously rented car and stowed their luggage in the trunk. "How far is it to Heidelberg?" Leonard asked him.

The man took his seat in the car, motioned his charges to do the same in the back seat, and then decided to give Leonard an answer to his question, "It is close to eighty kilometers, or for your edification, about fifty miles."

Sheldon once again took offense at the man's attitude and replied from the back seat, "We are scientists, I do believe we have the ability to convert kilometers to miles."

"I'm sure you do, I was just informing you of that because your partner had asked me that question. I converted it to miles in a friendly gesture, no insult to your intelligence was intended." His face, however, told another story.

Once on their way, both men attempted some form of conversation with the driver. Leonard began with, "This sure is pretty country around here. I think I'll take some pictures to send to Penny."

The man's eyes glanced at the rear-view mirror at Leonard, "Pardon me, but may I ask just who is Penny?"

Leonard grinned from ear to ear, "Penny is my wife."

"Ahhh. Yes, I was told you were both married. What does your wife do, Dr. Hofstadter?"

Leonard's chest actually puffed out at the question, "She's an actress. Right now she's appearing in a Tennessee Williams play in Los Angeles."

For the first time since their meeting, the man gave a genuine smile and warmly replied, "That gives us something in common then. My girlfriend is also an actress."

Leonard sensed a bond forming between him and their host, so he asked him, "Is she working right now?"

The man grinned and nodded, "Yes. She's appearing in Cats in a theater on London's West End."

"What is your girlfriend's name? Perhaps my wife has heard of her."

"I would highly doubt that, she is not well known outside of Europe. Her name is Annalise Gruber."

Leonard patted the young man on the shoulder and responded with, "I'll remember that for when she becomes famous."

"Thank you."

The conversation between the two men was cut short by Sheldon interjecting, "You know, I have a wife, also."

"Yes, I know. Your wife is a fellow scientist, is she not?"

Now it was Sheldon's turn to become proud of his spouse, "Yes. Along with one of our research partners we won the Nobel Prize for Physics last year."

The man nodded slowly and gave a wry grin, "Yes, I know. That is why you are here. But where is your wife?"

"At home, running our research facility. We have a young daughter and we both agreed that Lori was too young to travel to Europe."

For the first time, the young man happily interacted with Sheldon as he asked him, "Lori? That's an interesting name."

"Her proper name is Laureate." Sheldon explained to him.

"Because you won the prize?"

Sheldon shook his head and gave a further explanation, "Not exactly. No, Lori got her name because we found out we had won while my wife was in labor with her. By the way, young man, as of yet, you haven't given us your name."

"My name is Helmut. Helmut Hoffman. I am an adjunct professor of astrophysics at the university. Now back to the naming of your daughter, I suppose that is as good a reason as any. Do you and your wife have any children, Dr. Hofstadter?"

Once again, Leonard smiled broadly and seemed to grow a bit in stature, "We have a young son, Blake. He is slightly older than Sheldon's daughter. I miss them both, already."

Helmut commiserated with him, "That is understandable. With my girlfriend in London, it makes it very hard for us to find time to be together."

"Do you ever go see her?" Leonard asked.

"Every weekend. And we Skype quite a bit."

A puzzle look crossed Sheldon's face and he inquired of their host, "Why aren't you with her today? It's Saturday. The last time I checked, Saturday was half of the weekend."

Helmut's eyes narrowed and he acidly replied, "I was the lucky one who was assigned the duty of picking your two up at the airport. I am currently up for tenure, so I decided to raise no objections to that plan."

Leonard's face turned beet red and he mumbled, "Sorry about that."

Helmut was quick to placate Leonard, "Don't be. They have compensated me handsomely and next weekend I am using that money to take Annalise out somewhere special in London." He found himself liking the bespectacled little man more and more. Sheldon, however, was a different story. He was still on the fence about the annoying physicist.

Leonard grinned knowingly and replied, "Gonna propose, huh?"

Helmut's eyes grew wide with surprise, "How did you know?"

"You had that look in your eye when you said you were going to take her 'somewhere special'."

Sheldon gave an aggravated eyeroll and asked them in a peeved voice, "Can we end this banal chit chat and talk about our work we will be doing?"

Their driver gave a long sigh and then continued, "If you insist, Dr. Cooper. You will both be lecturing four days a week in a special lecture room located on the ground floor of your apartment building."

Leonard gave a surprised yelp, "Apartment building? I thought we would be staying in a hotel."

Sheldon began explaining their setup to his friend as if he were addressing a child, "Leonard, all guest lecturers and visiting professors are housed in quite comfortable apartments for the duration of their stay. The university is quite civilized in that way. You will find that the campus is located within the actual city of Old Heidelberg. There are restaurants, museums, shops, and libraries all within walking distance from where we will be staying."

Helmut nodded and added some additional information, "Yes. Dr. Cooper speaks the truth. Oh, by the way, I have made dinner reservations for the two of you at Schnitzelbank. It is an extremely small establishment and because the cuisine is far above ordinary it is usually quite difficult to get reservations for dinner there. But the university pulled some strings and I was able to secure you both a fine table for six o'clock tonight."

"That was an excellent choice, Mr. Hoffman. Leonard, Schnitzelbank is one of the finest restaurants in Old Heidelberg. I do believe I owe you a sincere, 'thank you', Helmut."

Helmut responded to Sheldon with a bored voice, "It was the University which arranged it, I merely made the phone call."

Leonard leaned forward from his seat in the back and replied, "Nonsense. Since we have met you today, you have gone above and beyond what was necessary. We both want to thank you for that."

Sheldon crossed his arms and muttered, "Speak for yourself, Leonard."

Time passed uncomfortably after that for the group in the auto, but soon enough, Helmut parked the car in front of a very tall, very modern, very white building and announced, "We are here. This will be your home away from home the next four weeks."

Leonard was the first to exit and he walked around the front of the building, staring in wonder at what he surveyed. Finally, he addressed his friend, "Sheldon, just look at those mountains. This place is like something on a postcard."

"Which I'm sure they sell at every gift store in town. Now, could you come back here and give me some help with this luggage?"

But Leonard just kept gaping at the scenery. He almost pinched himself to prove to himself he was not dreaming. The entire town surrounded the campus and the entire town was in turn surrounded by snowcapped mountains that vaguely reminded Leonard of Matterhorn Mountain at Disneyland. Only these mountains were very real and far more beautiful than anything manufactured by Disney.

"Hey, Sheldon," he asked, "do you think we'll get the chance to go up on one of those mountains and see it up close?

"Dear lord, why on earth would you want to do that? Isn't it cold enough right here? Really, Leonard, I think I'll just ship you back to the North Pole. Now, once more, could you give me a hand with this luggage?"

Leonard waved him off with a hand gesture, "Yeah, yeah, just a minute. I want to take all this in. We are really here in Germany, really, really, here!"

Sheldon finally poked his head out from the trunk of the car and sarcastically replied to his friend, "Yes, Leonard. We are in Germany. Which should come as no surprise to you as that is what it said on our plane tickets. Now, for the last time, please help me get our luggage out of the trunk."

Leonard made his way over to the car and helped Sheldon wrestle the last of their suitcases out of the car and onto the driveway in front of the building. Leonard looked toward the apartment complex and asked in a worried voice, "I wonder which apartment is ours, and how do we get all these bags and suitcases into the lobby?"

Sheldon's voice was at the same time filled with both hope and annoyance, "I'm sure Helmut will help us with that."

Leonard looked around frantically and asked, "Where is he, anyway?"

Sheldon joined his friend in casing their surroundings in a fruitless search for Helmut, "Hmmm. It seems he has disappeared. I suppose we are on our own, Leonard. Here, you take the garment bags and I will take the suitcases. It's the only way."

"Okay, buddy. Careful, some of those suitcases are heavy."

Sheldon turned back and threw Leonard a caustic look, "Thank you for that information, I wouldn't have known."

Somehow, the two men managed to wrangle all their luggage into the building's lobby and went over to the desk and asked a young man who looked about as disinterested in his job as Helmut had been, which apartment had been assigned to them. When they found out it was on the fourth floor they exchanged glances which conveyed both their angst at having to make it all the way to the fourth floor with their many bags, but also annoyance at the absence of their host.

Somehow, they managed to get all their bags and suitcases over to the elevator, but they encountered a great deal of difficulty fitting both themselves and their luggage in its small confines. They were both about to begin cursing when, as if on cue, Helmut Hoffman suddenly reappeared and help them fit everything in the elevator. Pushing the button for the fourth floor, he began to speak, "I know you will find your apartment quite adequate. It has two bedrooms, two baths, and a large kitchen and living room. You will each have your own private space with no problem."

Leonard grinned, "Good, I might need some privacy when I Skype my wife at night."

Helmut grinned, "I, too, have been there. That is why the university provided you men with separate rooms."

Sheldon looked puzzled and told both of them, "I have no idea what you are talking about. Are you going to be playing 'kissy face' with Penny? Really, Leonard. Have you not evolved at all beyond adolescence?"

"Come on, Sheldon. Don't tell me you and Niki aren't planning a little cyber naughtiness yourselves."

Sheldon began to understand what Leonard was getting at and asked him in a scandalized tone, "Are you talking about some form of virtual coitus?"

Leonard gave a small grin and replied, "Yeah, I guess you could call it that."

"I'll have to take a pass, then. You never know who could be listening in or somehow making your little love session public. No thanks. I am here to work and that is where my focus will lie."

When the elevator doors opened, Helmut took a sharp right and headed down the hall. Sheldon and Leonard each struggled with their luggage as they attempted to keep up with him. Finally, their host stopped in front of an ornate door with the number 404 emblazoned on it in an antique gold paint. He inserted the key into the lock and the door opened onto an expansive living room, done completely in blue and white. A long galley kitchen opened off immediately to the left of it while the bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, were located on a hall on the right.

Sheldon looked around with approbation and announced, "This will do just fine. Are there study areas in each bedroom?"

Helmut nodded, "Yes, each bedroom comes with a sitting area that contains a desk for work."

Sheldon peered down the hall and informed him, "I do believe I will take the first bedroom while Leonard can take the next. I most certainly do not want to hear his and Penny's carnal activities while I am attempting to work on my lectures. As I told you before, Leonard, I am here for serious work. I will have neither the time nor the inclination for such foolishness."

Leonard picked up one of his bags and commented, "Have you told Niki that? She might just disagree with you."

Sheldon put down the suitcase he was carrying and replied, "Leonard, Niki is a serious scientist. She will completely understand."

Leonard countered that with, "She's also a woman and I have my doubts. But anyway, let's get unpacked and get ready for dinner. That place that we're eating at, is it as good as Helmut says it is?"

"Most likely better. I have only eaten there once before, but the food was more than palatable. Now, I think we should go to our rooms, unpack, and take some sort of nap to help with our jet lag. I will meet you out here at five thirty."

Leonard made his way to his room and called back over his shoulder, "Make that five. Remember, Helmut said before we left for dinner, he was going to give us a tour of the rooms we will be using for our lectures."

Sheldon picked up his suitcase once again and responded to Leonard, "Yes, but the restaurant is very close to here. But no problem. I will meet you and Helmut out here at five."

After they had met Helmut and seen the two rooms they would be using for the lectures, each done in the same blue and white color scheme as their apartment and containing a small kitchen for any necessary breaks, the two friends headed off to Schnitzelbank for their first dinner in Heidelberg.

Leonard looked up from his plate of Schnitzel and remarked, "Helmut was right. This place is small, crowded, and the food is amazing!

Sheldon looked up from his dish of sauerbraten and acidly replied, "If my memory serves me correctly, and it always does, I also praised this place to you."

Leonard nodded and then returned to his meal, but not before saying, "Yeah, but you couldn't have gotten us reservations here."

Sheldon put down his fork and asked his dinner companion in a wounded voice, "Is that so? Leonard, why do you think we are sitting here?"

Leonard never looked up from his schnitzel as he answered, "Because the university reserved this table for us."

"And why do you think they were able and willing to do that?"

Leonard looked up and explained in a tired voice, "Because the school is the heart of this town and if they want to get someone a table anywhere here, they can."

One of Sheldon's eyebrows arched to ridiculous heights as he pressed his questioning further, "And why do you think they bothered to do that for us?"

Leonard took a sip of his wine and made a calculated guess, "Because we're important visiting lecturers?"

"Yes, but why are we important to them?"

Leonard finally capitulated and gave Sheldon his due, "Okay, it's because of your Nobel Prize. I get it. Still, Helmut was the first one who mentioned the place to us."

Before returning to his dinner, Sheldon made one last volley, "I suppose so, but I am also sure that this is only the first of many strings that the university will pull for us in the coming month."

With that, they both resumed enjoying their meal and soon, both of their plates and the shared wine bottle were empty. As they attempted to pay for their meal before they left, they discovered that the university had also covered their dinner bill. Leonard was both shocked and pleased while Sheldon merely considered it his due. Since the winning of the Nobel Prize, Sheldon had gotten very used to being treated as someone special within the scientific community and the resultant attitude he had adopted because of this was sometimes resented by his friends, especially Leonard.

"Sheldon," he warned his friend, "don't you think you at least owe a 'thank you' to both the restaurant and the school for this evening?"

Sheldon gave an extreme eye roll and explained, "No, not at all. Leonard, I have been dragged approximately six thousand miles from my home, wife, and child to be some sort of feather in their cap. It should be them thanking me for this entire month. And I am going to make certain that they do."

Leonard shook his head and decided to challenge his friend, "Oh yeah, real tough assignment. Give a one hour lecture twice a day for only four days per week. How will we ever be able to stand the strain? As far as our wives and kids go, I'm with you on that. But it's only for a month and look at this amazing venue we have been allowed to work in! This place is gorgeous!"

The taller man looked down at his companion, "Need I remind you, Leonard, that it's also the middle of winter and freezing cold outside? It is negative four Celsius. Back home, it is a vastly more comfortable temperature of seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit, or close to twenty-four degrees Celsius. You can keep this weather, thank you very much.""

Leonard grinned to himself and replied in a teasing way, "Spoken like someone who was born, raised, and currently resides in a much warmer climate. This weather feels like home to me."

"What, were you raised in a refrigerator?"

"No, in the northeastern United States. In New Jersey, to be exact."

Sheldon quickened his pace and responded dismissively, "Same thing, Leonard. Anyway, let's hurry home. It is almost time to Skype with our wives and children. Leonard's face brightened at the mention of his loved ones, "That's right! I can't wait to tell Penny all about this place."

"What, the city is bordered by mountains and has many restaurants, schools, and museums close by? That sounds very much like Pasadena, except for the miserable weather."

Leonard struggled to keep up with Sheldon, whose legs were much longer, "Whatever, buddy. I still can't wait to talk to her. Aren't you excited about talking to Niki?"

Sheldon nodded and quickened his steps even more, "I suppose. I am more than a bit curious as to how much research they got done today. Come, Leonard, let's get back to the apartment."

Leonard gave up trying to match Sheldon's strides, "Okay, Romeo, I'm right behind you."

 **Hmmm…what's up with Sheldon's 'tude?** **Will there be problems because of it?** **Knowing Sheldon, chaos and trouble may well ensue.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Life Without the Guys. Day One.

 **The guys are busy adjusting to life in Germany without the ladies.** **But how are the ladies adjusting to life without the guys?**

The morning after Sheldon and Leonard's departure, Penny Hofstadter, along with her small son, made their way from her home in the front building of their compound and down the side driveway to the Cooper home, which was located behind the pool and cabana. As she drew nearer to the front door of the house, her ears were assaulted by the sound of loud rock music, which Penny recognized as Van Halen's Hot for Teacher. Curiosity got the better of her and instead of knocking on the door, she stopped in front of the kitchen window and peered in. What she saw there caused her mouth to drop open in surprise.

Niki Cooper was dressed in a pair of pink terry cloth shorts and a white t-shirt that had I Woke Up Like This emblazoned across the front in large black letters. She was dancing across the room from the stove, where she was cooking herself some breakfast, to the other side of the room and the high chair holding her young daughter. Niki gyrated back and forth across the kitchen while cooking and attempting to spoon some Gerber cereal into Lori's mouth, with little success.

"Hey, girl," Penny called out to her through the open window, "lookin' good!"

Niki turned to her friend and greeted her with a large grin, "Hey, you're a little early. I'm still feeding Lori _,_ or trying to anyway _."_

"You look pretty cheerful. Not missing, Sheldon?"

Niki's eyes went wide, "I sure as hell am! He's the one who usually makes breakfast for all of us!"

Penny nodded and asked her, "Okay. But why the music?"

"It seemed like a good way to start the day."

Penny suddenly snapped her fingers, "Hey, now I remember. That song's the one that Sheldon dedicated to you over the radio when you went back to teaching!"

Niki turned off the stove and placed her eggs, bacon, and hash browns onto her plate, "One and the same. And people think he's not romantic." She motioned them towards the door, "Look, why are you guys just standing there like a couple of creepers? Come on inside!"

Penny entered the house and deposited her son down on the living room floor, well within eyesight of the kitchen breakfast bar. Niki put her breakfast on the counter and herself on one of the barstools and motioned to her friend to join her there.

"So, girlfriend, how are _you_ this morning?"

Penny looked down sadly and replied, "Missing Leonard. I never knew I could feel this bad without him."

"Well, maybe today's activities will make you feel better." Niki picked up a piece of bacon along with some of the egg on her plate and began to eat.

Penny turned to her friend and asked in an almost pleading voice, "Nik? Be honest with me. Aren't you missing Sheldon just a little bit?"

Niki stopped eating and grabbed Penny's hand gently, "A little. But I'm trying to look on the bright side. With him gone, I can blast Van Halen in the house at ten o'clock in the morning. I can't do that with Sheldon here. He would give me the biggest eye roll you've ever seen and I wouldn't stop hearing about it for days."

"Yeah, he can be weird about those kinds of things. But he's a good husband to you and a great father to Lori."

As Niki was giving an affirmative nod, her daughter suddenly looked up at her and asked, "Mommy eat?

Niki smiled sweetly at Lori, "Yes, dear heart, Mommy is having some breakfast. Just like you."

Lori began to squirm in her chair and cried to her mother, "Down?"

"Do you want down?" Her little girl nodded and looked towards the living room. "Do you want to play with Blake?" her mother asked her.

The little girl squealed, "Bwake!" Niki softly chuckled and lifted her daughter out of her high chair and put her on the floor.

Penny's son cried out, "Lowi!" when he saw her and the two children began playing happily together on the floor.

Niki watched the children play for a minute and made the comment, "It never ceases to amaze me how close they are and how well they get along. A stranger would think they were siblings."

Penny stole a piece of bacon from Niki's plated and responded with, "Except that they don't look alike at all."

Niki nodded thoughtfully and agreed with her friend, "Yep. Blake could be your twin. There's not much of Leonard in his looks." Niki took a second to reprimand her daughter, "Lori, you give that back to Blake. Remember what Daddy said about sharing and manners."

Penny gave a tiny chuckle at Niki's attempt at parenting, "Leonard says he prayed that Blake would have my looks and his brains. It looks like his prayers were answered. Do you know he's already started reading?"

Niki's mouth popped open in surprise, "At twenty months? Amazing! Sheldon says he doesn't care whether Lori is gifted or not, but I know it really matters to him."

Penny pilfered another bacon strip and turned to look at their children playing with some blocks on the floor, "Lori has your eyes and freckles, but the rest of her is pure Sheldon. Do you think she's smart?"

"Well, with us as parents, it's looking pretty good that she is. Actually, yeah. I think she's fairly advanced. She started talking at ten months old and now makes full sentences when she wants to. Reading? We'll see."

Penny placed her chin in her hands and let out a small sigh, "I wonder what the guys are doing right now?"

Niki reached over and lightly slapped Penny's hand as she attempted to reach for more of Niki's bacon, "Well I hope they aren't stealing each other's food. Girl, keep your mitts off my breakfast! Do you want me to make you something?"

Penny shook her head sadly, "No, we already ate. I guess I'm just a little nervous."

"About what?"

Penny confessed, "Talking to Leonard. I've never Skyped anyone before, much less my husband."

Niki grinned at her friend when she had finished eating and got up to put her plate in the dishwasher, "Just follow my lead. Talk to him like you always do. Okay?"

"I'll try. If I get stuck I'll just follow what you're saying to Sheldon."

Niki looked back and gave her friend a broad smile and then turned on the dishwasher, "Good girl! You'll be fine, really. Now, should we go up to your place? The caterers should be bringing the food soon. I ordered sushi for us, barbecue for Mary, and a nice salad with a turkey sandwich for my mom. Also, Raj and Amanda promised to come over and help us set up some chaise lounges and chairs by the pool."

When the two ladies and their children reached the Hofstadter home, they deposited the children on the floor of the Great Room and Niki went over her checklist while Penny got them each a glass of iced tea.

Niki held up the list and went over it to herself, even though Penny was in the same room, "Let's see…chairs? Check, they're in the cabana. Food? Check. Caterers should be here pretty soon. Tables? Check. They're already out there by the pool, complete with umbrellas. Lounges? Check. Also in the cabana. Guests? Check. Penny's here and the grandmothers should be here within a half hour." She then turned to address her friend, "Well, girlfriend, it looks like we're set. Now all we need is for Raj and Amanda to get here so he can give me a hand with the chairs and lounges."

At that moment, the doorbell rang and Penny went to open the door. When she had, she found Raj and his stunning wife grinning widely at her. Raj spoke first, "I believe you ladies need some furniture moved?"

Penny greeted them both warmly with, "Come on in. Nik has the stuff stored in the cabana."

Amanda's emerald green eyes sparkled as she inquired, "How have things been without Leonard? Are you doing okay?

Penny's eyes became clouded and lost their shine as she responded, "I guess. Nik's been helping me a lot. I had no idea I'd miss him this much." She called out to Niki, "Are you going out there with Raj or am I?"

Niki threw her a smile and answered, "I'll go. I know where everything is. You stay here with the kids." She turned to Raj and Amanda, "Hey, I hear your going down to Palomar. I'm a little jealous."

Raj gave a small chuckle, "Just a little, huh? Come on, Niki, confess. You'd love to go to Palomar and work with the big telescope there."

She nodded in agreement, headed for the back yard and the pool area, and told him, "Yeah, I haven't had the chance to really stargaze since our honeymoon. I've been so busy with Lori, teaching, and our research here that I haven't even had the chance to go upstairs and use our own telescope."

Raj followed her out the back door and replied, "Life will settle down eventually. It always does. Now, show me where everything is stored and where we're going to put it."

Once they got poolside, they began to talk seriously. Raj went first, "Niki, is Penny going to be okay without Leonard around? I've never seen her like this. I mean, I've seen the girl mad, glad, and drunk, but never this kind of sad."

Niki unlocked the door to the cabana, looked back at him and replied, "She'll be fine, Raj. She just needs to adjust, which I'm sure she will."

Raj took the deck chair she handed him and asked her, "How are you doing without Sheldon? Or is that a silly question?"

Niki took a chair herself and they both headed back out to the pool, "There are no silly questions, Raj. Or damn few, anyway. I'm doing okay. I miss him very much but I've done this long-distance thing before. It's not fun, but it's doable. The trick is to keep yourself busy. I have all kinds of things in mind for when Penny and I have any free time. She'll be better once her play starts."

Raj placed his chair down where Niki had showed him and asked her in a concerned voice, "Leonard's going to miss her opening night, isn't he?"

She sat her own chair down near one of the tables and answered him with, "Sort of, but I'm bringing my phone and he can facetime with me. He'll see her, all right. And that's all she cares about right now."

The two friend went back to the cabana for two more chairs. As they grabbed their cargo and headed back towards the tables, Raj dropped a not-so-subtle hint, "Look, if either of you ever needs a babysitter…"

"I know, I have you on speed dial. But both grandmothers are in town, so I think we're fine there."

Raj set down his chair and told her, "Well, if you ever get in a bind, call us."

Niki started back for the cabana and told him, "Thanks, Raj. You're a good friend. Look, tomorrow's Saturday, so don't bother coming in until Monday. Unless you want to or something."

Niki handed him a chaise lounge and as he headed back towards the pool he replied, "It depends on how it goes at Palomar. If I find something exciting that ties in with our research, you know I'll be here on Saturday. But if not, I'll see you Monday. Hey, is Sheldon going to continue his research while he's gone?"

Niki put down her lounge chair and made one, last trip to the cabana. As her and Raj walked, she told him, "Yeah, he's got the tougher math part to work out. I'll just be sending him my data and proofs and he's going to be checking them. I'm pretty good at math, but Sheldon is a savant."

"Yeah, the dude's brilliant, but don't tell him I said that, okay?"

Niki made a motion of crossing her heart as she assured him, "Promise." She then folded her arms across her chest and nodded approvingly, "Now, this looks pretty good. I think our work here is done."

They both looked towards the Hofstadter house as they heard Penny yell, "Nik! The caterers are here! Where do you want them to put the food?"

Niki called back to her, "I'll be right there! Raj, thanks again for your help. Have fun down south."

He gave her a quick hug and a smile, "Don't worry. We will. I'll take some pics and send them to you.""

"Awesome! Well, let's get going back to the house before the food gets bad." And with that, Niki and Raj headed towards the front building, with Niki planning in her head just how the party would go.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Pool Party and Unmet Expectations

 **Things get a little strange between Niki and Sheldon.** **Will they be able to fix it?**

One hour later, Niki found herself stretched out on one of the chaise lounges by the pool. Her head was filled with the pleasant anticipation of shortly talking to Sheldon on her laptop. She noted in her mind that in the past three years since they had begun their relationship, they had never gone this many hours without speaking to each other. The feeling was strange, yet oddly exciting. For the first time in many months, Niki was excited to be talking to her husband about something that was not routine, like their work, their daughter, or their family and friends. Niki was looking forward to seeing what Sheldon's first impressions of Heidelberg were, as well as finding out just how much he had missed her.

She looked over at Penny, wondering if she was having similar thoughts. As her best friend's green eyes were sparkling extra bright and her cheeks were turning a very attractive pink, Niki deduced that Penny was having a similar anticipation about the soon-to-be contact with her own husband. Niki then turned her head to watch her mother playing with Lori. Her small daughter seemed to bring no small amount of joy to Audrey's heart. While she loved all of her grandchildren, it was small, effervescent, Lori Cooper who had taken possession of a special place in her grandmother's heart.

Suddenly her computer announced to her that she had an incoming Skype call. She accepted it and smiled broadly as she saw her husband's smiling face in front of her, albeit only on her laptop screen.

"Hey, Cooper!" she greeted him, "Long time, no see. How are you and Leonard doing?" Before he could answer, she looked over at Penny and saw with no little relief that she was having no trouble interacting with Leonard. Niki wrinkled her nose at her friend as if to say, _See, I told you it would be easy to talk to him!_

"Hello, Niki." He formally greeted her, "I see you are by the pool. Are you taking a break from your work?"

"No, Sheldon. Howard is at Disneyland with Bernie and Kelly and Raj is down at Palomar with Amanda doing some research there."

One of his eyebrows arched sharply and he snapped, "And you allowed this? What about the work that needs to be done at home?"

Niki was beginning to get annoyed, but decided to try and placate him instead, "Relax, Cooper. It's Kelly's birthday and Raj's work at Palomar is directly tied in to our current research. Besides, I am their partner, not their boss. They are both free to spend the day as they like."

"All right. They do have the right to do that, but why are you lounging by the pool?"

Now it was Niki's turn to snap at her spouse, "Because I decided to take a day off and spend some time with our daughter, my mother, and Penny. That's why."

Sheldon adopted a condescending tone as he replied, "I see. I do hope this 'mini-holiday' of yours does not put us behind. Binary does have certain expectations about timelines, Niki."

Once again, Niki tried to be the peacemaker as she told him, "Sheldon, we are comfortably ahead of schedule. I intend to work a bit tomorrow and send the results to you for your review. Please, let it be."

"Very well. Now, are Wolowitz and Koothrappali coming in tomorrow, also?"

Niki let out an audible sigh and adjusted her sunglasses, "Sheldon, I would say that is unlikely, though Raj said he would come in if he discovered something interesting at Palomar."

Sheldon's reply to her was more stern than loving, "Well, see to it that you keep the ball rolling there, as it were. Sometimes I worry that things will fall apart if I am not present."

Niki's grey eyes flashed silver as she shot back, "Can it, Cooper. I am quite capable of handling things here. Stop worrying about it."

"How can I not? You first move was to give everyone the day off. I don't call that handling things in a capable manner."

Now she was beyond annoyed and decided to end their conversation before she lost it completely. She carried her laptop over to her mother, who held Lori in her lap. She placed the computer on the table next to Audrey and told him, "You know what, Sheldon? I have someone here who wants to talk with you much more than I do right now. Would you like to speak with Lori for a bit?"

Sheldon almost snorted in derision as he answered her, "Of course. I do hope you are taking good care of her."

"Don't go there, Cooper. Here's Lori." With that, Niki handed her laptop over to her mother who placed her granddaughter close to the table's edge. That way, Lori had a perfect view of her father, which delighted the little girl no end.

"DaDa!" she squealed happily in recognition of the face on the screen.

"Hello, Precious." He happily greeted her, "How is my Princess doing?"

"Good. Grandma's here and I eat French fries!"

Sheldon's face lit up with a warm smile. His daughter's language skills were very advanced and he very much enjoyed conversing with her. So he asked her, "Did they taste good?"

"Yes, DaDa."

"And what else did you eat?"

Lori was pure toddler bliss as she told him, "Mommy gave me pizza!"

Sheldon's face lost its smile and he calmly replied, "I see. Princess, could Mommy come over and talk to me for a minute?"

Lori called out to Niki, "Mommy! DaDa says come!"

Niki reluctantly walked over to where her mother and daughter were sitting. She looked at her husband's face with no little annoyance, "What do you want, Sheldon?"

"Good lord, woman! Why are you letting Lori eat junk food? I thought you knew better than that."

Niki's eyes glistened with an inner fire as she gave her husband an exasperated explanation, "Listen to me, Cooper, and listen good. You daughter was really missing her father and my friend was really missing her husband. I arranged this day to help everyone involved deal with you and Leonard being gone. Before you say another word, know this; you are in Germany and don't have to deal with either of their tears, I do. As you can see, everyone is happy and having a good time. So, my plan is working. Trust me, Lori will be completely healthy when you return and Leonard's wife will not sink into a deep depression. THAT is what I dealing with here. Our work is important, but so are the feelings of our daughter and our friend. I think you should just deal with it, Sheldon. I'm doing the best I can considering the situation in front of me."

Sheldon tried his best to hide his annoyance, but failed, "Very well, Niki. Just make sure you send me any and all research you complete. Is that asking too much of you?"

"Not at all. I will do that without a problem. Now, do you wish to speak to Lori again?"

"Of course. I miss her terribly." Niki walked away and Sheldon saw the brows on his daughter's pretty face come together.

"You mad at Mommy, DaDa?"

He quickly lightened his mood and responded in what he hoped was a sincere voice, "No, Precious. We just had to talk about some things. Now, I have to say goodbye, it's time for me to go to sleep. Be good, Princess, and listen to Mommy, okay?"

"Okay, DaDa. I wuv you."

Sheldon blew his daughter a kiss and told her, "I love you, too. I will talk with you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes, DaDA. Tomowwo. Mommy, too?"

He was somewhat taken aback by his daughter's question and he hastened to answer her with, "Of course, Mommy too. It's night here so I'm going to have to say goodnight to you. Okay?"

"Goo'night, DaDa."

"Goodnight, Princess. Daddy loves you." With that, the screen went dark. Sheldon had ended the call without saying goodbye to his wife, which bothered Audrey. Her daughter and her husband were one of the closest couples she knew. What was bothering Sheldon so much that he had spoken with Niki as he never had before? She decided to chalk it up to jet lag and let it go. She didn't want to be one of those interfering mothers-in-law, but still, something was off with her son-in-law and she couldn't quite figure it out.

Niki was also concerned about the way Sheldon had spoken to her. That had been totally unlike their usual conversation style. She knew her husband sometimes had problems with communication, but most of the time that was with other people, not her. They usually spoke to each other with kindness, empathy, and more than a little love. There had been none of those things present in Sheldon's interaction with her during their Skype session. She ultimately decided that he must have been tired from both his flight and settling in to his new surroundings. Maybe that was why he had been so short with her. Still, Leonard had seemed to be conversing with Penny just fine. Their virtual interaction had been filled with many laughs, some sincere declarations of affection, and lighthearted banter, everything her conversation with Sheldon had lacked. Niki sat at her table and stared out at the pool. She didn't know what her next move would be, but she knew she had to come up with something before tomorrow at noon. She had a strange feeling the future of her relationship with Sheldon depended on it.

Niki finally decided to put her concerns aside for the day and concentrate on enjoying herself with her friends and family. This worked fairly well until both Penny and her mother came over to her individually and voiced their concerns about the way Sheldon had spoken to her.

Her mother went first when she cornered her daughter in the kitchen where Niki was refilling everyone's glasses with lemonade. "Honey, I don't want to meddle, but don't you think it was strange the way Sheldon communicated with you?"

Niki put down the pitcher she was holding and answered her with, "I know he acted a little out-of-character, Mom, but I think he was just tired."

Audrey took one of glasses that had been filled and replied, "Nikita, you can't fool me. I'm your mother and I know this is troubling you."

Niki gave a long sigh and explained one of her husband's many quirks to her mother, "Mom, when Sheldon has something on his mind, he often withdraws like that. We call it Being in the Zone. He does that from time to time. My only concern is the distance between us. I can't just get back to him later when I see he's back to normal and start a new conversation with him. I can't SEE him now, so I don't know when he'll snap out of it."

Audrey took a sip from the glass and walked towards the door, "Perhaps he will return to normal tomorrow. If he has done this before and come out of it, he may very well do it again."

"That's what I'm counting on, Mom. And please, don't worry about this. I've got it handled."

"If you say so, dear. Just know that if you need to talk, I'm always ready to listen."

Niki went over to her mother and gave her a warm hug, "I know that. That's what makes you such a great mom."

Audrey Horner gave her daughter a tight hug in return and told her, "Well, I do love you, Nikita. Now, let's get back out there with everyone's drinks, shall we?"

Niki picked up the tray of full glasses and smiled at her mother, "I think that's a very good idea. Let's go!"

With that, both women went out the door and returned to the pool area.

Niki hadn't been seated at a table long when Penny came over to her and sat down in the chair opposite her. "Hey, Nik. What the heck was up with the Wackadoodle?"

Niki shrugged and played with her glass, "I don't know, really. I think he has a lot on his mind."

Penny cocked her head spat out, "Like you don't?"

Niki shook her head sadly, "I didn't say that. But you know how he is, he processes things differently than most people."

Penny's eyes went wide and she shot back, "Most people? Most people? Girlfriend, Sheldon Cooper is in a league of his own in that department."

"That's why I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt here." Niki threw her friend a weak smile and added, "He'll most likely be fine by tomorrow."

"You're sure of that?"

Niki stared down at her hands and replied, "Not entirely, but what choice do I have? He's my husband and I have faith in him."

Penny rested her chin in her hands and asked her friend, "Are you actually going to spend tomorrow working just so you can send him some data?"

"Don't be silly. Of course not. I have some research I finished just before he left. I'll send him that."

"Knowing Sheldon, all I can say to you is good luck with that."

Niki gave a soft chuckle and looked at her friend, "Yeah, I know. But I still have faith in Sheldon. He's just out of sorts right now. I'm sure he'll be in a much better frame of mind tomorrow."

Penny stood up and attempted to give Niki some reassurance, "I sure hope so. But if he isn't, let me know and I'll try to come up with something to fix things."

Niki laid one of her hands on top of Penny's, "Thanks, girl. You're a true friend. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow. For now, can you help me clean this place up while Mary and my mother are still watching the kids? Even doting grandmothers have their limits."

Penny smiled and helped clear the tables of plates, glasses, and plastic spoons and forks, "Sure, Nik. Let's get going. I don't have rehearsals tonight, but I do tomorrow. Do you mind watching Blake for me until I'm done?"

The women threw their refuse in the trash can and returned to poolside. Niki turned to Penny and smiled, "Not a problem. Now here, help me with these chairs…"

 **Will Sheldon get back to normal?** **Or whatever normal for Sheldon is.** **Will Niki have success getting through to him?** **Read on…**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Romancing the Stone…or Trying To

 **Sheldon gets testy and Niki gets busy…with work.**

Niki woke up the next morning in an energetic, positive mood despite the happenings with Sheldon the day before. The sun shining through the window like a golden rainbow energized her and she decided to take Sheldon's advice to heart and actually do some work on their research. She sprang out of bed, showered, dressed, and then woke up her daughter and fixed both Lori and herself a hot, nutritious breakfast of oatmeal with fruit slices on top of it.

Breakfast finished, Niki nixed the idea of going to her office in the front house and instead scooped up Lori and set her down next to the desk in their home office, which was located on one end of the large dining room of their home. She got out some of Lori's favorite toys and when the child's attention was focused on them, Niki began to work. By lunchtime she had accomplished quite a bit, much to her surprise and delight. _Now, I have something positive to report to Sheldon that may lighten his mood a bit,_ she thought.

After she had fixed Lori and herself lunch, Niki placed a call on Skype to Sheldon. He answered fairly quickly which got Niki's hopes up for a pleasant interchange between them.

She greeted her husband with a cheery, _Good afternoon, Sheldon._ _I hope everything is going good on your end._

His face remained somber and he answered her with, _Niki, for an intelligent woman you can say the inanest things._ _You know full well it is not afternoon here in Heidelberg, it is nine thirty in the evening._ _Good lord, did you pack your brain somewhere in my luggage?_

Niki sighed, took a deep breath and snapped back, _Sheldon, that was just a figure of speech._ _Besides, it's twelve thirty here._ _That means early in the afternoon, does it not?_

Sheldon's face clearly showed his annoyance as he responded with, _I don't have the time to discuss petty semantics with you._ _Now, why did you call me?_

 _Uh, because Lori and I miss you and want to talk with you?_

His face brightened at the sound of his daughter's name, _Is my Princess there?_

 _Of course._ _Do you think I would leave her on her own in another room?_

 _Nothing you do surprises me any longer._ _Now, have you continued with our research like I asked you to?_

Niki was beginning to get very annoyed with her husband and replied in a testy voice, _Yes, Sheldon._ _I spent the entire morning working._ _And of course I had Lori in the room with me._ _Now, does that meet with your approval?_

 _Send me your research results to peruse and I will give you an answer to that one._ _Now, could you kindly put Lori up to the screen?_ _I wish to speak with her._

 _Very well._ _Lori, DaDa wants to talk to you._ Niki placed her daughter on her lap so she could better view the computer screen on the counter of the breakfast bar. The little girl's face lit up with excitement as she saw her father smiling back at her.

 _DaDa!_ _Wuv you!_

 _And I love you, too, Princess._ _Have you been a good girl for Mommy?_

 _Yes!_ _Mommy was on her 'puter today._

 _Yes, I know._ _She told me._ _What did you and Mommy have for breakfast?_

 _Oatmeal wif fruit, DaDa._

 _Very good._ _I'm glad to see Mommy is feeding you healthy food for a change._ At that, Niki frowned at the monitor and gritted her teeth.

 _It was yummy!_

 _I'll bet it was._ _I miss you, Precious._

 _I miss you, DaDa._

 _Can you blow DaDa a kiss before I go?_

The little girl blew her father a big kiss and he sent the same back to her. Niki thought to herself, why did her husband have to be such a big softie to his daughter and so cold to her? Before she could ask him this she heard him tell Lori, _DaDa has to go to sleep now, Princess._ _Will you tell Mommy to send the research she did today to me?_

 _Yes, DaDa._

 _Good._ _Now, DaDa will talk to you tomorrow, okay?_

 _Okay._

 _Bye, bye, Precious Girl._

 _Bye, bye, DaDa._ And with that, just like the day before, the screen went dark and Niki was left fuming. Not wanting to upset Lori, she pasted a smile on her face and took her daughter outside to play. No sense wasting the entire day inside when the weather was beautiful outdoors. She made a mental note to send Sheldon her work later that night. He would most likely be getting ready for bed now, so she decided to wait on sending it. What could it hurt? He was being an ass, anyway, so she wasn't going to waste another minute catering to him.

Shortly after Niki had come back into the house and put Lori down for a nap, she heard a knock on the door and a familiar, "Hey, girl. You home?"

Niki smiled when she recognized the voice as Penny's. "I'm in the dining room. Come on in and we can talk." Penny crossed the large expanse of the Cooper living room and made a right turn at the end of the massive stone fireplace. She saw Niki Cooper sitting at the dining room table with papers spread in front of her and her fingers flying across the keyboard of her laptop.

She stopped at one end of the dining room table, facing Niki, and asked her, "Whatcha doin'? And don't tell me you're working."

Niki looked up briefly and replied, "Okay, I won't tell you."

Penny took a seat next to her friend, "Nik, you never work on weekends. What's up?"

Niki responded to Penny's question with a slight frown on her face, "Well, with Sheldon out of town a lot of the research has to be done by me. So, I now work weekends until he comes back."

Penny stood up and countered Niki's explanation with, "That's bs and you know it. Let me guess, Sheldon wants to see your work and you're knocking yourself out trying to get him some."

Niki focused her attention back on her computer screen, "Not exactly. I did more than enough work this morning to send him. But you're right, he has been pressuring me to get more work done and then let him proof it."

Penny sat back down and gently asked her, "Okay, if you have enough done for now, why are you still at it?"

"I want to get a little ahead so I can have some free time with Lori tomorrow. Hey, speaking of that, want to take the kids to the park?"

Penny smiled and nodded, "Sure, I don't have rehearsals tomorrow. We could do that. Now, what's up with you and Sheldon?"

Niki's answered her in a small, sad voice, "I don't know. When he talks to me it's all business. He's so cold and dismissive. He even scolded me today about me forgetting the time difference. That's not how he usually talks to me. I'd like to know what's up with him."

Penny nodded once more and answered in a kind voice, "I kinda figured something like that was up after I talked to Leonard. He told me that Sheldon has been acting sort of removed and closed off since they got there. He can't figure it out, either."

Niki looked over at her friend, "You want to know something funny?"

"What?"

Niki gave a small sigh and continued, "He is so affectionate and kind when he talks to Lori. It's like a different person takes over. I'm almost jealous of my own daughter."

"Now you see why I call him a Wackadoodle. He can get a little strange sometimes."

This time it was Niki who stood up as she saved her work and turned off her laptop, "Well, I'm getting ready to send him some of my research results, maybe that will cheer him up. But honestly, I don't think Sheldon will be completely satisfied until Monday morning when everyone is back at work."

Penny shrugged, "Maybe, but maybe not. When Sheldon gets like this there's no telling when he'll come out of it. Are you going to call him tomorrow?

Niki headed for the kitchen and Penny followed her faithfully, "Yeah, but a little later than usual. He told me he's going to explore the town with Leonard tomorrow and they won't be home until later in the evening."

Penny took the bottle of water offered by Niki and informed her, "Yeah, Leonard told me the same thing. He asked me to call him on the phone, instead of Skyping him. That makes sense. Sheldon didn't ask you to do that?"

Niki sadly shook her head as she grabbed a bottle of water for herself from the refrigerator, "Nope. And it's starting to really cheese me off. We've always been really close. Why is he acting like this?"

A broad grin spread across Penny's face as she answered, "Because he's Sheldon. Need I say more? Look, Nik, you've humanized the guy a lot. But underneath it all, he's still the same old Sheldon."

Niki went into the living room and sat down on the sofa, "I'm sorry, Penny. But I can't believe that. Something's bothering him and until I know what it is, I have no idea how to make things better."

Penny took a seat next to her and continued making her point, "Look, Nik, for what it's worth, I have some kind of idea what's behind all of this, but you have to sit there and hear me out."

"Okay."

Penny looked directly at Niki and said, "You know how Sheldon hates change."

The taller woman nodded and replied, "Of course. It bothers him a lot."

Penny then asked her friend a pointed question, "Okay, now what has changed in his world lately?"

Niki gave a sheepish grin and answered her, "Well, almost everything."

Penny got up off the sofa and began to pace around the room as she continued to make her point, "Right. Until he left for Germany, his days were pretty much the same. He lived here in this house with you and Lori. He walked across the yard to the front building and went to work, again, most of the time with you and Lori. Monday nights you guys always had dinner with either his mother or yours, depending who was in town that day. Tuesdays Sheldon always went to the comic book store with the other guys, so did Leonard. Wednesday nights one of our group hosted Halo night and Sheldon always took part in that. Thursdays you guys spent the evening as a family. Friday night was always date night for you two while one of the grandmothers watched Lori. Every Saturday you two had dinner with me and Leonard. Every Saturday, even when it had to be late because I was working. Sundays, he either went to play paintball with you and the guys or he took you and Lori somewhere. Am I correct so far?"

Once again, Niki nodded, "Yes, you've nailed it."

Penny turned and stared her friend in the eyes and asked her, "Okay, how much of that is he doing now?"

Niki sadly hung her head and muttered, "None of it."

"Right. Now, that would be a bit stressful for anyone, but we're talking about Sheldon Cooper here. This has most likely thrown him for a major-league loop and he isn't handling it very well at all. I'd say the poor guy is suffering from missing you and Lori, being homesick, and trying to adjust to all the changes like living on another continent in a country where English is not the first language."

Niki looked up at her pretty friend and asked in a confused voice, "Sheldon has lived in Germany before, in Heidelberg, in fact. So it has to be somewhat familiar to him. He also speaks fairly fluent German, so he doesn't need anyone to speak English for him to get by. Now, Penny, knowing all that, can you somehow tell me why is he turning away from me?"

Penny sat back down next to Niki and took one of her hands in hers, "He loves you and you're not there with him. If he can convince his mind not to miss you, it helps him. So, he's making up reasons to be angry at you. He can't do that to Lori, so he dumps it all on you."

"So how do I deal with this?"

Penny thought a moment then told her, "That I can't tell you. How do you usually handle stress together?"

"Sex?" Niki offered in a not-so-sure voice.

The slightest of grins appeared on Penny's voice as she replied, "Okay. Not happening now, so you're going to have to get a little more creative and come up with something else."

"Like what?"

"That's up to you. When you guys were trying to solve a problem, what did you do?"

Niki suddenly smiled at a fond memory and offered, "Sometimes we went dancing."

Penny shook her head and made her point, "Okay, can't do that right now, either."

"Sometimes we sat in the jacuzzi and talked, but we can't do that, as well."

"Wow. Yeah, you're right about that." Penny then asked her friend, "Could you just Skype him and set aside time for it to be just the two of you?"

Niki's response did not sound enthusiastic, "Maybe, but that might just annoy him, like I'm pushing him for answers I don't think he has."

Penny patted her on the leg and agreed, "Yeah, could be. I'll tell you what, why don't you sleep on it and we'll talk tomorrow."

Niki let out a long sigh, "Yeah, I guess that might be my best way of handling it. Who knows? Maybe Sheldon will be in a better frame of mind tomorrow."

"Yeah, you never know. And if he isn't, between the two of us, we'll figure something out."

Niki stood up and looked towards the hall which held the bedrooms, "Yeah. Well, I've got to wake Lori up from her nap and start dinner. How's Blake, by the way?" She added contritely, "I know I promised to watch him for you this evening. I'm sorry I didn't ask about him earlier."

Penny rose from her seat as well and headed for the door, "Mary's watching him for me. I've got to head for the theater for rehearsal and costume fittings tonight. We open in a couple of weeks. I'm starting to get a little excited. I can't wait for opening night!"

Niki smiled at her, "Neither can I, girlfriend. Hopefully, Sheldon will be back to normal by then and I can facetime with Leonard and him during the play. Anyway, you'd better hurry or you'll be late. You don't want to get fired before the play even starts."

Penny walked over and gave her troubled friend a huge hug, "Nope, I don't. I'll call you tomorrow morning and we'll set a time to get together, okay?"

"Sure. We'll have a good time with the kids tomorrow. At least I have that to look forward to. And Penny?"

"What?"

Niki grinned at her and answered, "Thanks for everything. You're a good friend."

Penny winked lovingly and responded with, "So are you, Nik. Gotta go, talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay, 'bye!"

With that, Penny walked out the door and Niki headed for Lori's room, visions of a fun day in the park with her best friend and their children playing in her head.

 **Do you think Niki can get through to Sheldon, or do you think there is more turbulence ahead in their relationship?**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Day Trip

 **Sheldon and Leonard have plans for a grand excursion.** **Will Sheldon be good company for his friend?** **I wouldn't bet on it.**

After he had closed his computer, Sheldon Cooper let out a long, heavy, sigh. He tried, and failed, to understand just what had come over him to make him talk so rudely to Niki. He truly loved her, he knew that, but every time he saw her face on the computer screen, an aggravating assortment of complaints were the first thing that came to his mind. He wondered if Niki would actually send him any of her work, but then admitted to himself that Niki was a dedicated scientist and she would send him the results of her research as planned, even if it killed her.

He tried to envision Niki on the last night they had spent together before he left for Germany. He remembered them both clinging to each other as if they were the last people on earth. Vows of love and fidelity had been passionately whispered into both their ears and they had caressed and felt each other's bodies as if trying to burn every muscle, curve, and inch of skin to memory. Sheldon recalled biting Niki's neck softly while inhaling the scent of her delicious perfume. He also vividly remembered his wife's long arms and legs being wrapped tightly around his body as if she never wanted to let him go. How, then, had they come to this? Two people who shared a life, a last name, an adored child, yet talked to each other like distrusting strangers.

Sheldon's gloomy thoughts were interrupted by Leonard knocking on his bedroom door, "Hey, buddy. You okay in there?"

"I'm fine, Leonard," he answered his friend in a brusque voice.

Leonard was not about to give him the lie, "You don't sound fine, and you certainly didn't sound fine when you were talking to Niki."

Sheldon snapped back at his friend, "I told you, Leonard, I'm fine. Now please, go to your own room and get some sleep. We have a busy day planned for tomorrow."

Leonard gave a big sigh and answered him, "Okay, if that's what you want. But I think you should call Niki and apologize. You were pretty hard on her."

All of Sheldon's frustrations then came bubbling to the surface, "And just what would I apologize for, Leonard? Caring about our research? Caring enough about our child to make sure she is being taken care of properly?"

Leonard opened the door to Sheldon's room and stood in the doorway with his arms crossed, "For starters, you could apologize for being an asshat. Other than that, I think you're fine."

"Really, Leonard, your feeble attempt at humor somewhat missed the mark."

Leonard entered the room and approached his friend, "I wasn't trying to be funny, Sheldon."

Sheldon put up a hand to stop him before he could get any closer, "Leonard, you speak to your wife as you see fit and I will do the same with mine. I really don't need your help in dealing with Niki."

"If you say so. I'm still worried about you, buddy."

Sheldon stood up and guided his friend towards his bedroom door, "Leonard, there is nothing wrong with me that eight hours of sleep won't cure. So why don't you go to your room and I will try to rid myself of the last of this cursed jet lag."

Leonard threw him a doubtful look and then surrendered, "Sure. Okay. Well, goodnight Sheldon."

Sheldon motioned him out the door, "Goodnight, Leonard. I believe we should leave to explore Heidelberg at ten a.m. Is that fine with you?"

Leonard turned away and walked out the door, mumbling a weary, "Fine, Sheldon. I'll see you in the morning."

Ten o'clock the next morning found Leonard out in the communal living area, hoping against hope that this new day would see a positive change of mood in his roommate. When Sheldon emerged from his bedroom, Leonard knew that this was definitely not the case. Sheldon's face still held the peevish look it had been sporting since they had arrived in Germany. At this point, spending the entire day with Sheldon was not a prospect he was looking forward to.

Leonard decided to start the day on a high note, anyway, and asked his friend in a cheerful voice, "Hey, buddy. How's it going?"

That question was met with an exaggerated eyeroll and a snarky reply, "How's it going? Really, Leonard. Since we last saw each other all I have done is sleep, take a shower, and get dressed. How do I report on those happenings? Let's see, I slept fairly well, my shower was of a pleasant temperature and got me to the desired level of cleanliness, and my clothes presented no problem to me as I put them on. There, does that sufficiently answer your question?"

Leonard turned and headed for the door while snapping at his friend, "Never mind. Forget I asked."

Sheldon's face sported a small grin as he answered his friend, "Very well. Now, should we proceed on our planned outing? I do believe our first stop should be to get something to eat and some coffee or tea. Does that sound agreeable to you?"

"Sure, sure. Let's get going. I would want us to get a late start to this wonderful day."

Sheldon's face took on a note of intense concentration and he suddenly replied to Leonard with a pointed question, "Do I detect a note of sarcasm in that statement?"

Leonard shot him a frustrated sideways glance and replied, "You're getting a lot better at that, Sheldon."

"Well, we'll just see how you feel by the end of our excursion, Leonard. You may just change your mind about this entire day."

Leonard opened the door of their apartment and stepped outside, telling his friend, "I can only hope. C'mon buddy, let's get some breakfast and take it from there."

Their first stop was at a restaurant that had been recommended to them by several members of the faculty, Zum Spreisel, where the two friends decided on having a hearty lunch instead of breakfast. After a large meal of soup, salad, and some form of wurst they had both never tasted before, they set off for the town square to catch the tram that would take them to the summit of Mt. Konigstuhl and the Heidelberg Castle.

When they finally reached the summit of Konigstuhl, Leonard was struck speechless at the majestic beauty of the old castle, once home to mighty kings who bowed to no one. Now, all that was left were the ruins of what was often called one of the most important examples of Renaissance architecture north of the European Alps. When Sheldon led Leonard to one of the wooden viewing terraces, they were able to look directly down on the town and spot not only the university, but their apartment building as well.

Leonard briefly lifted his gaze from the valley below to turn and address his friend, "My god, Sheldon! This must be one of the most picturesque spots I've ever seen! Thanks for taking me here, buddy."

Sheldon sighed and addressed his friend, "It really took little thought. This is one of the main tourist attractions in the area. I thought you might be impressed by the view."

"Aren't you impressed?"

Sheldon gave a bored shrug and replied, "Not really. I had to cart my mother and any number of relatives up here quite often when I was here last. We're near the top of a mountain, there is a city below us. How unique is that? Remember, we live in Altadena. If we go up a half mile or so above our facility we would have much the same view of Pasadena and Los Angeles. Well, on a smog-free day, anyway."

Leonard narrowed his eyes in anger and frustration and growled, "I give up, Sheldon. Here we are, looking down on a beautiful city from an observation deck of an ancient European castle and you're comparing it to Altadena. What's up with you, anyway?"

Sheldon turned from his friend and responded sourly, "Nothing that is of your concern, Leonard. Now, may I suggest we go view the gardens of this castle? They are world famous and supposedly quite beautiful. I would not be a good tour host if I did not include them."

Leonard looked at his friend, gave a sigh of frustration, and followed him to the gardens, whose lofty reputation was well deserved. Once more, Leonard was amazed at the beauty of the area and wondered why Sheldon was not taking in the scenery with the same appreciation as himself. He decided to let that question stay encased in his brain, for he was not ready to deal with anymore of Sheldon's angst-driven responses.

By the end of the day, both tired scientists were more than ready to return to their apartment and rest their weary bodies. A full day of tourism had tired them both out. Leonard was also eager to put some distance between himself and his roommate. Sheldon's bad attitude had been in full force the entire day and Leonard wanted nothing more than to retreat to his room and talk to his wife on the phone. Sheldon, however, had other plans. As they walked towards the tram that would take them back down the mountain, Sheldon addressed his friend with an idea that had been forming in his mind.

"Leonard," he began, "I think it would be far more financially feasible if we bought our own food and ate some of our meals in our apartment. As it is, we could spend our entire paycheck every week if we ate out for all our meals."

Leonard had to agree with him, eating out constantly would get expensive, so he told him, "That sounds like a good plan. Where would we shop for groceries here?"

"Oh, we wouldn't have to do that. We could give the university a shopping list and they would have our food delivered to us."

Leonard had to smile as they boarded the tram for the ride back down the mountain, "That sounds pretty convenient to me, so let's do it. We could take turns with the cooking."

At that, Sheldon proudly proclaimed, "I will take charge of breakfast. It's the only meal I know how to cook."

Leonard began to panic at that pronouncement and asked in a strained voice, "You've never made dinner before, or even lunch?"

Sheldon shook his head and replied nonchalantly, "No. As far as dinner goes, Niki has always said I am very good at opening take-out boxes and spooning their contents onto a plate. Do you know how to cook dinner, Leonard?"

Leonard thought for a moment and then answered truthfully, "Not really. I managed to make spaghetti once. But that's about it. Maybe we should rethink this."

"Nonsense. We are both intelligent people. I'm sure we can learn how to cook fairy quickly. Penny can cook, can't she? If she cooks, there is no reason why we can't."

The shorter man looked over at the taller one with malice on his face and gave him a stern warning, "Watch it there, Sheldon. You're talking about my wife."

"I meant no disrespect, Leonard. But you must admit, Penny does not have the same level of intelligence as us."

"She's smarter than both of us in a lot of areas, don't forget that."

Sheldon looked hopefully at Leonard and asked, "And one of them would be the preparation of food, am I right?"

"Yeah, that would be one of the areas she excels in."

Suddenly Sheldon's face lit up with both relief and hope, "So why don't you get some simple recipes off her tonight when you talk to her? That would solve the cooking problem for us."

Leonard was once again frustrated at his friend's attitude and exclaimed, "Sheldon, I'm not going to spend the entire time I'm talking to my wife asking her for her favorite recipes."

"Very well. I suppose we shall both go hungry for a few weeks."

"Look, I'll have her email me some easy recipes. Okay?"

At that concession, Sheldon's good humor was restored and he replied and an almost cheery voice, "Good. That should be all we need. We can make a shopping list from there. I have already taken the liberty of requesting some bread, eggs, coffee, and sausages from our hosts. These items should be delivered to us tonight. I will make us breakfast tomorrow."

"Like you make it all the time for Niki and Lori?" Leonard asked with hope in his voice. He had heard from Penny that Sheldon made delicious breakfasts for his family quite often.

Sheldon's good mood suddenly evaporated and he asked his friend in an almost snarling voice, "Leonard, have you brought up Niki's name in an effort to further lecture me on my deportment when speaking to her?"

Leonard hastened to give his pouting friend an explanation, "No. You live with her and your daughter. Who else would you make breakfast for? By the way, Niki says you're pretty good at it, so breakfast away my friend. I will try a simple dinner recipe tomorrow night. I think lunch will be covered by the university tomorrow after our first lecture."

The tall physicist's good mood was restored and he went on to tell Leonard, "Yes, we will be two wage slaves, giving interesting lectures to students who will be totally bored with the subject matter. It doesn't matter whether we are in Pasadena or Heidelberg, students seem to react the same way when I give lectures. Except there are always one or two brighter ones that have half a brain sitting in the front row. I always concentrate on them and forget the others."

"I hope you're right about that, buddy. One or two is all I need."

"Trust me, they're always there. Count on it."

Leonard looked out the window of the tram and realized they were almost back at the town square. He turned back to his friend and filled him in on his plans for the evening, "Okay. Now let's get home and order a pizza or something. I can't wait to talk to Penny and tell her about our day. Are you going to fill Niki in about going to the castle?"

Sheldon gave Leonard and absent minded nod and responded in an almost bored voice, "Yes, I suppose I must. Penny will have told her by now where we were going. Well, let's get home and get that over with. I do need to go over the research Niki has most likely sent me and then discuss it with her. That is far more interesting to me than an old Renaissance castle."

Leonard put a hand on his friend's arm and gave him what he thought was some much-needed advice, "Suit yourself, but I think you should spend most of your time telling your wife about our adventure today. It might help you two to get things back on track."

"Leonard, things are not off track at all. We are just far from each other and that can pose some difficulties with communication. Niki knows I love her. Why would she think otherwise?"

At that point, Leonard decided that the less he said, the better, so he just shrugged his shoulders and replied, "No reason at all, Sheldon. But if she should get annoyed, start talking about the castle, okay?"

"Whatever you say, Leonard. Ah, we are back in the town square. Let's get off this tram and finish our day. I'm sure you can't wait to talk to Penny."

Leonard stepped off the tram and looked back at his friend and asked, "And you? What about talking to Niki? Aren't you excited about that?"

Sheldon hopped off the tram and quickly put himself in front of the shorter man. He explained to him in an annoyed manner, as if addressing a child, "I have to read what she has sent me first. If it is up to snuff, of course I'll be eager to speak with her."

Leonard was by then getting frustrated with his friend, so he decided the best thing to do was keep silent, which he did all the way back to their building.

 **The boys seem to have a plan for bachelor living.** **Will it work well without the ubiquitous take out?** **Will Sheldon learn how to talk lovingly to Niki?** **Read on and find out.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Penny Has a Plan

 **This could be good advice…or not.** **Anyway, Penny is trying to be helpful**

While the boys were touring Heidelberg, the girls were sleeping and then awakened to greet the new day. After they woke, Niki and Penny spent the morning with their children at a local park while the guys were wrapping up their day trip. For their meal, Niki had thought to pack a healthy picnic lunch and Penny had offered a comfy checkered blanket for them to sit on while they talked and ate.

As Penny passed a turkey sandwich to Niki, she asked her nonchalantly, "So, have you thought of what you're going to say to Sheldon when you call him later?"

Niki took the offered sandwich and before biting into it, replied, "Well, I think I'll start off by asking him what he thinks of the work I've sent him. After that, I guess I'll play it by ear."

After eating a bit of her lunch, Penny looked at her friend and asked, "Want a bottle of water?" After Niki nodded, Penny continued with a question about Sheldon, "What if he treats you like he did yesterday?"

Sheldon's wife gave a sad grin and told her friend, "Then it will be a very short conversation."

Penny played with her sandwich and then threw a hint to Niki, "You could try to sneak in a compliment or a flirtation here and there."

Her friend gave a heavy sigh and responded, "That would be like trying to cut into a rock with a steak knife. It wouldn't penetrate very far."

Penny peeled herself an orange and gave her friend a quizzical look, "Did he give you any hint he was going to act like this?"

Niki shook her head emphatically, "No. Until the moment he left, he was loving and caring. I don't know what happened to him, but I don't like it."

"You don't think there's another woman, do you?"

"Sheldon? Cheat on me? I don't think so. When I met him he was forty-six and I was only his second girlfriend. Sheldon Cooper is definitely not a womanizer."

"No, I guess not. Maybe it's just what I told you yesterday. He's homesick."

"Could be. But he's got Leonard with him, so he's not exactly without a familiar person."

Penny looked towards the far end of the park and announced, "I've got an idea."

Niki swallowed the last bite of her sandwich and asked her companion, "What is it?"

"When we finish eating, why don't we take the kids over to the kiddie swings and give them a thrill? Neither of them has shown any fear of swings so far."

Niki visibly brightened and replied enthusiastically, "Yeah, that's an idea. Seeing as I can't do anything about Sheldon from here, I'm just going to focus on our daughter." She looked down at the little dark-haired girl at her side and asked her, "Lori, want to go on the swings with Blake? Mommy will push you like I did last time we were here."

Lori chirped happily to her mother, "Swings! Yes, Mommy."

Penny smiled at her son and put the same question to him, "Blake, how does that sound to you? Can I push you, too?"

"Swings with Lowi? Yes!"

"Okay, it's settled then. Let's pick all this up and take it to the car and then head for the swings." Penny pointed to both children, "They have spoken and we will obey."

Niki put a hand gently on her friends arm and said, "Penny, have I ever told you that sometimes I don't know what I'd do without you?"

"Sometimes, but hey, the feeling's mutual. Let's get this stuff to the car and then have us some fun with the kids."

Niki stood up and dusted off the seat of her pants, "I'm all for that. Let's go!"

Lori and Blake were screaming in delight as their mothers tirelessly pushed them in their child-safe swings. "More, Mommy, more!" was the constant cry from both the children. As they pushed their offspring, Niki and Penny had an in-depth conversation about their husbands being far away in another country.

Penny gave Blake a hearty push and then turned to her friend and asked, "Do you think they really miss us? Or do you think they are having too good a time to even think of us and the kids?"

Niki propelled her daughter in the swing before answering, "I know for sure that Leonard misses you, honey. You can tell it by the way he looks at you when he Skypes and the way he fills you in on every, single thing he's done that day. Sheldon, on the other hand, is a complete mystery. I haven't a clue as to whether he misses me or not. I do know he misses Lori quite a bit. I think talking to her is the highlight of his day."

"Don't sell yourself short, Nik. I think Sheldon misses you quite a bit. He just isn't wired in a way that lets him show it."

Niki shot back at her, "He shows it to Lori."

Penny gave her son a mighty push and then explained, "That's true, but I know he loves you, sweetie. He would have never married you or had Lori with you if he didn't. Sheldon Cooper tries like hell to avoid doing things he doesn't want to do. And that includes inviting female attention. He's turned down quite a few women in his day when he could have bagged them with a snap of his fingers. His brain just doesn't compute casual sex or being unfaithful. In fact, that's how he got engaged to Amy. Some bimbo came on to him and he ran straight to Amy and proposed. The fact that she was all the way across the country at the time only drives my point home. Sheldon is a one-woman man and he truly loves you. He just doesn't love being in Germany. Wait it out, sweetie. When he comes back home he will go back to being the sweet, horny, weird, science nerd you fell in love with. Just give him some time, okay?"

Niki launched her child into a safe upward arc and replied, "Penny, did I ever tell you that patience is not one of my virtues?"

"I've kinda noticed that, but I don't think you have any other choice in the matter. Unless, of course, you want to confront Sheldon directly about his attitude."

Niki took her eyes off her daughter for a moment, turned to speak to Penny, and got hit in the side of the head by Lori in her swing. She responded by giving her daughter another forward thrust and asking her friend a pointed question, "You mean you want me to bluntly ask him what's up?"

Penny gave Blake a timely push and answered her friend, "Yeah, something like that. Look, I don't think Sheldon is going to be happy until he's back home, which translates into him being grumpy and rude to you for the next three weeks. If you don't feel like dealing with that, well, you've got to take the bull by the horns and see if you two can come to some sort of agreement about how you speak to each other when you Skype."

"Hmmm. Maybe that's the way to go. I won't be rude or snappy, I'll just lovingly ask him…what should I ask him, Penny?"

"Let me think a minute. I know! Why don't you ask him some form of 'how much do I matter to you?' and let him take it from there."

"That sounds like a plan. How about we call it a morning here and make our way back home? By the time we clean up the kids, put them down for their naps, and then wake them up, it will be time to Skype Sheldon and Leonard."

"Sure, I think that's a good idea. Hey, Sweetie," Penny asked her son while slowing down his momentum, "do you want to go home and talk to Daddy?

The little boy's face lit up and he squealed, "Daddy! Yeah. I talk to Daddy now?"

"No, Blakey. When we get home. Would you like that?"

Blake tried to wiggle out of the swing seat as he exclaimed in a happy voice, "Yes. I talk to Daddy at home!"

Niki gently stopped her daughter's swing and lifted Lori from her seat and asked in a happy voice, "Do you want to go home and talk to DaDa?"

The little girl looked up at her mother with a questioning look on her face, "DaDa? Yes, Mommy. When DaDa come home?"

Niki held her daughter close to her and thought of how to answer her question honestly. She knew that Lori had no real idea where her father was or what he was doing, but she did know he was gone. She decided to be honest, but at the same time give her daughter something to look forward to. So, she replied, "Not right now, but he will come home soon and then what fun we will all have!"

Lori squealed excitedly, "Fun! Zoo?"

Her mother kissed the top of her head and then answered her question, "Oh, the zoo, the planetarium, the beach, all kinds of fun places we will visit, Precious! But first, we have to go home and talk to Daddy. He had a big day today with Uncle Leonard."

"Unca Leonard come home, too?"

Niki smiled lovingly at her only child and responded, "Yes, Princess. With DaDa. Okay?"

Lori looked up at her mother's face with big eyes and added, "I talk to Unca Leonard, too?"

Niki held her daughter tighter and headed for the car. While walking, she answered Lori with, "If you wish and Aunt Penny doesn't mind, I can't see why not. Now, let's go to the car and go home."

"Home! DaDa!"

Niki nodded, "Yes, home is where we talk to DaDa, so let's go."

They all piled into Niki's car and headed for their home, each of the women lost in her own thoughts, much like their husbands over in Heidelberg.

 **Will Niki take Penny's advice?** **And if she does, will it work?** **Let's see…**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Matter

 **Sheldon continues to belittle Niki, and she finally has enough of it.**

Sheldon and Leonard returned to their apartment just as night was falling and Sheldon took the already delivered breakfast supplies and began to cook up a batch of scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage, and toast for himself and his friend. As he was about to plate the food, he turned Leonard and asked, "Would you prefer white or wheat toast? I made some of both kinds."

Leonard looked up from his computer and responded in a weary voice, "It doesn't matter, Sheldon. How about wheat? Does that make you happy?"

Sheldon threw his friend an annoyed look and told him, "You needn't snap at me. I merely asked you a simple question."

"Sorry, buddy. I guess it's just been a long day and you haven't been in the best of moods."

The taller man countered that statement with, "I haven't been in the worst of moods, either, Leonard. You've seen me in a worse mood many times."

Leonard watch Sheldon arrange the plates of food and admitted the truth of his friend's reply with a tired, "That's true, but still…you weren't Mr. Sunshine today and it got a little old. What's bugging you, anyway?" he added as he went to take his plate to the counter.

Sheldon set his own plate down and sighed in frustration as he answered, "As I've told you before, nothing is 'bugging' me. I am merely getting used to the time change. Plus, you know how I hate to lecture. The specter of that has been haunting me since we have arrived."

"If you hate to lecture, why did you agree to come here?"

Sheldon got them both a bottle of water from the refrigerator and informed his friend, "As Niki so correctly informed me before we left, it is good advertising for our paper. The idea of another Nobel Prize or any other award we may receive is intriguing to me. In addition, I, for one, would enjoy seeing you being rewarded for all the hard work you put in on this paper. It's been many years in the making and I think you deserve a great deal of praise for it."

Leonard took the offered bottle from his friend and gave him a wry smile, "And another award for you just sweetens the pot, doesn't it?"

Sheldon rolled his eyes in exasperation. He was upset that his friend thought him that selfish. He took a seat next to the smaller man explained, "Oh, Leonard. You know that is true. But if it was just for me I wouldn't have come here. Do you think I enjoy being away from my family?"

Leonard shook his head and admitted in a kind voice, "No, I know you don't. But we'll be going home in a few weeks and then everything will be back to normal." He then added in a much sharper tone, "That is, if you don't completely alienate Niki."

Sheldon's eyes narrowed suspiciously and he asked, "Why would Niki feel alienated?"

"You haven't exactly been warm and fuzzy with her, have you?"

Sheldon went quiet for a moment and then replied in an almost wistful voice, "Most likely not, but Niki should have no doubt just how much she means to me. Goodness knows I've told her often enough how much I love her."

Leonard look over at his friend before he began to eat and pleaded with him, "Well try to at least be civil to her tonight, okay?"

"Very well. I know I have not been very pleasant to speak with from her end. I will truly attempt to keep that in mind when I talk to her tonight." Sheldon then pointed to their plates and commanded, "Now, let's eat before all my hard work grows cold."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Back in Altadena, Penny and Niki were anxiously awaiting the time for contacting their husbands.

Niki sat down on the couch in her living room and began to think out loud, "I know they said to call them later than usual because of their day trip, but how much later? We usually speak to them at noon. Are we supposed to call them at one? Two. When?"

Penny threw the woman next to her a sweet smile, "Relax, girlfriend. Leonard said they thought about that and would be the ones making the first contact. So, we just have to sit here and wait."

Niki's response was a curt, "Like good little Stepford wives."

"Niki, please stop that. Don't let Sheldon's attitude poison yours. We're just accommodating their schedule. We usually talk at a time we've all worked out. Nobody has ordered us to do this. Now remember what I told you, ASK him what the hell is going on, but in a nice way."

Niki sighed and got up from the couch and went into the kitchen, "Of course. I'll never get any sort of answer whatsoever if I'm nasty to him. I know that much. I'll be as nice as I can possibly be. But if he starts his rude shit again, as nice as I can be won't be very nice at all."

Penny followed her friend and attempted to reason with her, "See? You're already making plans for if he's an asshat. He very well may not be. Just give the poor guy a chance, okay?"

Niki grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and headed back to the couch, "Okay. I guess you're right. It's just this waiting that is killing me. I'd like to know when we should wake the kids up from their naps, too."

Penny plopped down on the couch and picked up a magazine sitting there, which she pretended to read. She finally told Niki, "Me, too. But we have to be patient. It's almost two o'clock. Sheldon should be Skyping you any minute now. Leonard and I have agreed to talk on the phone this time. What do you say we wake up the kids so they'll look human when they talk to their dads?"

Niki wailed, "Ahhh, you guys are just talking on the phone? That means that Lori won't be able to talk to Unca Leonard. She was looking forward to that so much!"

Penny gave a girlish giggle and replied, "Well, I'll just tell Leonard to pop into Sheldon's room and videobomb your conversation. That might even lighten the mood a bit."

Niki rolled her eyes and said, "One can only hope. But now, let's go get the kids up."

"Good idea. I want both kids fully awake when they talk to their dads. I wonder if Blake would like to talk to Sheldon? I mean, Lori wants to talk to Leonard because she misses him. We kinda forgot that both of them see Uncle Sheldon and Uncle Leonard almost as often as they do their own fathers. We're not the only ones who miss the buggers."

Niki grinned at her friend, "Yep. I know Lori thinks of Leonard as almost a second father. It's only natural she would miss him, too. I suppose the same goes for Blake."

Penny eagerly replied in a happy voice, "Let's go wake them both up. I know that Blake can be a real grump when he first wakes up. I think he gets that from me."

"Lori is always an early riser and she is bright-eyed and bushy tailed the second she opens her eyes. I know she gets that from Sheldon 'cause she sure didn't get it from me. I'm not even remotely human until I'm on my second cup of coffee."

The two women went into the nursery and woke up both children. Blake, as Penny expected, was out of sorts for a little while. Lori, on the other hand, was cheery and chirpy immediately upon being awakened.

"Hey, sweeties," Penny crooned to them, "let's go into the living room. It's almost time for your dads to be calling.

"DaDa!" Lori squealed in delight, racing past both mothers and out into the living room.

"Daddy? Okay." Blake sleepily responded as he reluctantly left the spare bed Niki had set up for him and padded over to his mother, who promptly scooped him up and carried him to the living room.

As they walked out of the nursery, Penny reminded Niki, "Remember, don't let Sheldon pull any of his foolishness. You might even let him talk to Lori first, to kind of let him get his happy on. It might help."

Niki stopped and stared at her friend, "You just might have something there, girlfriend. Thanks for the idea."

Twenty minutes later, Niki's computer let her know she had a Skype call coming in, while Penny's phone gave a cheerful ring. Both women sat at opposite ends of the living room and answered their respective calls.

While Penny and Leonard shared a few laughs while he shared the adventures of his day with her, Niki hurried to inform Sheldon that his daughter wanted to talk with him first. Sheldon's eyes grew bright and crinkled up at the corners as he smiled happily and told his wife, "That's most agreeable to me. Let me talk to my little Princess and then I'll get to you."

Niki frowned at his apparent dismissal of her, but managed a smile and sat Lori on the couch in front of the laptop on the coffee table. "Lori," she told her daughter, "here's your DaDa. Can you be a good girl and show him how you can sit there by yourself?"

"Yes, Mommy." the little girl answered in a very serious tone, and then greeted her father with a giggly, "Hi DaDa!"

Sheldon's grin was wide and sincere as he responded to his daughter's greeting, "Good afternoon, Princess. Have you had a nice day today?"

"Me and Bwake went to the park wif Mommy an' Aunt Penny."

"I see. Did you have fun?"

The little girl could barely contain her excitement, "Yes! We had a picnic and went onna swings!"

Sheldon nodded thoughtfully and replied, "That does sound like fun!" Then his eyes narrowed and he asked her, "Did Mommy send her work to me like she said she would?"

Niki immediately lifted Lori off the couch and placed her on the floor with some toys. She then put herself in full view of Sheldon and spat out, "Cooper, that is NOT a question you should be asking our daughter! She's not even two yet. Why put her in the middle of our work?"

"Or lack thereof. Did you send me some research results or not?"

Niki's eyes went molten and she answered him using an angry tone, "You haven't checked your email? I must have scanned and sent you about thirty pages worth of work."

Sheldon snapped back at her, "Is it quality work?"

Niki's voice became dangerously calm as she inquired, "Sheldon Cooper, are you questioning my ability to do scientific research? Because if you are, just remember there were three Nobel prizes awarded to our facility, and my name was on one of them."

He thought a moment, fidgeted a bit in his seat and answered her with, "Perhaps I misspoke. For that, I apologize. But I am not there to oversee things, so you may have gotten a bit lax with your research methods."

Niki exploded, "A BIT LAX? Sheldon Cooper, be very glad you are on another continent, because I have the overwhelming urge to deck you right now!"

Sheldon dismissed her anger with a wave of his hand and told her, "Niki, I meant no disrespect. It is just that you have Lori, the house, and the business to take care of and it may be a bit taxing for you. I would understand if your work product dropped in quality. After all, I am not there to supervise it."

Niki thought about her past employment, as a tenured professor at one of the top collegiate science centers in the country and as the supervisor of the largest telescope on Mount Wilson, and her blood began to boil. She was every bit as capable a researcher and scientist as Sheldon and he knew it! How dare he treat her as an incompetent! She gathered her wits about her and informed her husband, "If you cared to check my findings, you would find them quite astute and thorough…and that IS with running the business, the household, and taking care of our daughter! Sheldon, I have to ask you, considering your actions towards me of late, do I even matter to you anymore?"

Sheldon looked slightly amused as he responded, "Niki, of course you matter. And if you begin to move at the speed of light squared, you would energy. Very, very, much." He then gave her one of his odd little laughs.

Niki's response was quick and simple. She gave her husband an icy glare and closed her laptop.

On his end, Sheldon saw the screen go blank and stared at it open-mouthed for several moments, and then his laptop was shut as well. Leonard, who had come into the room to chat with Lori came up behind his friend and asked, "What the hell did you say that for? That was just mean and spiteful!"

Sheldon stood up and addressed his friend, his annoyance clearly punctuating every word he spoke, "Leonard, I have neither the time nor the inclination to cater to the insecurities of my wife. I am here to work and that is where my focus has been. It has not been, nor is it currently, focused on pandering to Niki's injured feelings."

Leonard shook his head sadly and told him, "You know something, buddy?"

Sheldon shot back at him with an irritated tone in his voice, "What, Leonard?"

"I have a hunch you're not going to have Niki or her feelings to worry about for a long, long, time." With that, Leonard Hofstadter abruptly turned and left the living room and, once again, Sheldon Cooper was left staring at an empty space with an open mouth.

 **I do believe Dr. Cooper has put his foot fairly far into his mouth this time. Will he apologize to Niki or is this a major bump in the marital road for them?**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Sheldon Finds a Friend

 **Trust me, this will not be a good thing.**

After hanging up on Sheldon, Niki sat and stared at the tall glass case standing in one corner of the living room. The case contained not only numerous academic awards she and Sheldon had each earned over the years, but it also housed their shining Nobel Medals they had earned as a team with Raj. Niki's thoughts began to wander back in time. _Was it only a little over a year ago that they had stood on a stage in Stockholm and had those medals hung on their necks by the King of Sweden?_ _What a happy day that had been and how in love they had been with each other at that time!_ Niki had to admit, beneath all her anger and frustration at Sheldon, she still held a true love for the man. That love is what made his words hurt so badly.

Sighing, she got up from her seat on the couch and gathered Lori in her arms. This sweet child, so much her and so much Sheldon, was what held her together at the moment. She had to keep fighting for her marriage! If only for their daughter. Lori was so innocent, so trusting, and so sweet, how could she break up the only family this little girl had ever known? Plus, Lori adored her father and vice versa. No matter what else happened, she wasn't going to give up on her relationship with Sheldon without a fight.

Niki decided a pleasant diversion from her problems was in order, so she asked Lori, "Hey, Precious Girl, how about you and Mommy putting on our swimming suits and going to the pool? The weather is pretty warm for February."

The toddler shook her head and rejected her mother's idea with an emphatic, "No. I wanna pway wif Bwake!"

Niki looked across the room and smiled as Penny looked over at her and grinned. "Should we start planning their wedding pretty soon?" she joked to her friend.

"Just as soon as you figure out your own marriage, Sweetie." Penny answered in a concerned voice. "Let me put the kids in front of the television with a movie. Just for a few minutes girlfriend," she explained as Niki threw her a disapproving look, "I know you don't like the kids to watch too much t.v., but we need to talk. I heard what Sheldon just said and I think you two have a real problem going on here."

Niki sighed and replied sadly, "It's that obvious, huh?"

Penny sat down next to her friend, took one of her hands in hers and spoke to her in a soft, kind voice, "Look, I don't understand all that matter and energy stuff, but I do know he wasn't being kind or taking what you were asking him seriously."

Niki then attempted to explain Sheldon's faulty attempt at humor, "Yeah, he was just making a very bad joke using Einstein's Theory of Relativity, you know, E=MC2. I asked if I mattered and he turned it on me in a very insulting way. Einsteins Theory of Relativity, roughly translated, means that something with very little mass can affect huge changes in the energy unleashed because the speed of light is a very large number. Wait…I think I may know what he was trying to say, even though he said it quite awkwardly. I don't have a lot of mass, I'm not a big person, I'm tall but very thin, and I don't take up much space, but I have had an immense effect on his life and he realizes it now that I'm not there."

Penny shot her a confused look and blurted out, "Huh?"

Niki tried to explain once more, "Look, how much space I take up, how large or small I am, is my mass. How heavy I am is kind of like mass. This body I have is the container for how much matter I contain. Everything is made up of matter. How heavy that matter is and how much space it takes up, is called mass. So, Sheldon was trying to say that for someone of my mass, I release a lot of energy, especially when I'm upset. He's the exact opposite. Sheldon internalizes things when he is unhappy, so he doesn't release a lot of energy at those times, he just gets more and more unhappy until he has to let it out in a very negative, passive/aggressive way. I need to think about this for a while. I'm not going to apologize to him for hanging up, that would just feed his attitude. But now that I have a clue as _why_ he's acting this way, I can think up a way to get through to him and improve our communication. I'm not going to speak to him until I can say something that will help the situation."

Penny nodded and then asked her, "Ooookaay. I _think_ I understand you, Nik. But how long are you planning on going radio silent on him?"

"Just for a day or two. I need time to think. What he said was very rude and spiteful, even if it did have a hidden meaning. I'm his wife! I need an 'I love you' or 'I miss you' sometimes."

Penny's smile was now wide and genuine, "Now _that_ I understand. Take your time. Remember, Sheldon is unhappy and out-of-sorts right now, so move forward very carefully. For your marriage's sake, if nothing else."

Niki reassured her friend, "I won't be ignoring him for very long, trust me. Now, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Niki rose from the couch and replied, "I need to you to take Lori with you tomorrow when you talk to Leonard so she can see and speak to her father while you two are Skyping. I don't want to punish Lori for something Sheldon said to me."

Penny also stood up and walked towards the children, "Got it, can do. I'll come get her around eleven thirty. Can I take Lori to my place right now to play with Blake for a little bit? Is that okay?"

Niki nodded and told her friend, "Perfect. You can take Lori with you, she loves playing with him. Now, I've got to get back to work. Despite how he says it, Sheldon is right, I have to keep the research going no matter what else is happening, and I fully intend to do just that. Just bring Lori back before you leave for the theater.""

"Sure. And Nik?"

"Yeah?"

Penny walked over to Niki and gave her a warm hug, "Just remember that Sheldon is far away from home and he's probably getting a little lonely. Plus, from what you have told me, he hates lecturing. Please don't write him off just yet."

"Don't worry, I won't. But until I cool down, I think Lori is the only one he should be talking to."

Penny gave an understanding nod and replied, "I understand. I'll bring Lori back around five, okay?"

Niki hugged Lori tight and answered her friend, "Sure, that would be good."

"And I'll pick her up around eleven thirty tomorrow morning so she can talk to Sheldon."

Niki released her daughter and let Penny take her hand and lead her toward the door, "Again, that would be good. I don't want her seeing me and Sheldon go at it anymore. In fact, we shouldn't even be talking about this in front of the kids. I sometimes forget how they are both highly intelligent and perceptive. Look, from now on, when we want to have a discussion about this, let's wait until the kids are in bed."

Penny stopped and thought for a moment, then smiled at Niki, "Yeah, I agree. Well, see you later and happy research!"

"Thanks, girl. I'll try. 'Bye for now."

With that, Penny took the children to her house and Niki was left alone to ponder the state of her marriage. She sat and stared out the window, lost in thought. Maybe all she needed was a couple days of not talking to Sheldon. Maybe he would miss her enough to have a normal conversation with her. Maybe. Divorce? That was a last resort. But she admitted to herself that she most likely lacked the necessary patience that saving her marriage required. _Well, old girl,_ she told herself, _it's never too late to learn a new life skill and now is as good a time as any._

She finally got up and went back over to her laptop, which was still resting on the coffee table in front of the couch. She sat down and grudgingly began to work, trying her best to keep her mind off Sheldon Cooper, the miles between them, and the dismal state of their marriage.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

While Niki worked in Altadeana, in Heidelberg, Germany, Sheldon Cooper walked the streets of the town in a troubled trance. _Why did Niki hang up on me?_ _All right, I think I know why._ _Why, oh why, did I say something so cutting and idiotic to her?_ _I do believe she missed the true meaning of my witticism._ _I love Niki, she and Lori are my entire world._ _Damn academia!_ _Damn useless awards that sit like silent sentinels behind glass cabinet doors._ _My family is alive and animate and they need me._ _I can't lose them._ _What would I be without Nikita Cooper?_ _Just a poor, lonely, physicist, with a useless medal hanging from his neck, that's what._ _If I could only find someone to talk to who isn't Leonard._ _His wife and mine are way too close and if he should let something I say slip to Penny, Niki will know all about it shortly thereafter._

Suddenly, Sheldon's way was blocked by a tall, thin, woman somewhere close to him in age. Her general build reminded him of his wife, but this woman's eye's held none of the fires of life that were found in Niki's, nor were they the same color. Niki's eyes were a mysterious light grey color that turned to the color of liquid mercury whenever she felt strong emotion. These eyes were a flat brown, but seemed intelligent and knowing. For some strange reason, they bored directly into his soul and held his gaze captive.

The woman gave a small smile of recognition and asked him, "Is that you, Dr. Cooper?"

The woman's tone intrigued and bothered him at the same time, so Sheldon responded carefully with, "Yes. May I ask what your name would be?"

The woman's smile grew both wider and warmer, "Of course. My name is Dr. Heather Powers. I am also a visiting professor here. I caught one or your lectures last year at Harvard when you were on a speaking tour for your paper. I found it most riveting. I was not surprised when you received the Nobel for your work."

Sheldon informed her with an edge to his voice, "I won the Nobel as part of a group, Dr. Powers. I had two partners in that research."

The mysterious stranger took a step closer to him while her eyes challenged his reply, "You are quite humble, aren't you? Everyone in the scientific community knows that research was primarily your baby. You rather had to include them, didn't you? Seeing as one was a very good friend and the other your wife."

Sheldon took a step back and replied testily, "You are mistaken. They both had a great deal of input into that research. I couldn't have done it without them both." Sheldon thought back to the day when he had been interviewed on the radio and Niki had discovered the key that tied all their research together. Niki and his relationship might be strained at the moment, but he would never deny all of the hard work and diligent research she and Raj had contributed to the process.

The woman shook her head and gave a small chuckle, "Really, Dr. Cooper, you can stop the charade. You are one of the most brilliant physicists of this generation. Who are _they_? Just two people who had a small part in helping you get where you are today. If those two were so important to this paper, why are they not with you here, in Germany?"

Sheldon made an attempt to set her straight by informing her in a most formal tone, "I am here to discuss a paper I wrote with Dr. Hofstadter, not the one that earned the Nobel. Neither of them contributed to this work, so that is why they were not invited to come with me."

"I still admire your work, Dr. Cooper. May I buy you a drink?"

Sheldon sensed something threatening and dark, yet oddly intriguing about Dr. Powers and her offer. He decided to try and avoid any further discourse with her by saying, "I really don't drink, Ms. Powers, though I thank you for your kind offer."

Heather Powers was not deterred a bit and she continued with her quest by asking Sheldon, "Well then, could I interest you in some coffee or tea and dessert?"

Sheldon thought a moment and concluded that a diversion of that sort was just what he needed. The woman was a serious scientist like himself and they could very well have an interesting conversation while enjoying a hot beverage. He decided his previous foreboding was more than likely the result of the stress he had been under lately. He decided to take the woman up on her offer, "That sounds fine. Do you know of a place near here?"

Her smile went wide in victory and she pointed to her right, "Right around the corner you will find the closest thing Heidelberg has to an American coffee shop. Shall we go there?"

"Very well. You lead the way and I'll follow."

"Nonsense, Dr. Cooper. We'll walk there together, as equals." With that, she looped her arm through Sheldon's and they headed down the street to their destination.

 **Is Dr. Powers interest in Sheldon strictly professional or is she after a more 'intimate' relationship?** **Should Niki be worried?** **We'll see.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 : A Ghost from the Past

 **Niki gets some advice from an unexpected source.**

The next morning, Niki sat at the dining room table, more or less pretending to work. What she was really doing, and she was fully cognizant of it, was waiting for Penny to return with Lori. She needed to know what Sheldon's response had been when he had been told she would not be Skyping today. Eventually she decided to actually do some work and the morning had passed rather quickly after that. For all Sheldon's sputterings, she had managed to accomplish quite a bit since he had been gone. His harsh words regarding her lack of dedication to her research still stung. Sheldon, of all people, should have known how much a caustic remark regarding her work would hurt her. Niki sighed, she knew what she had been getting into when she married Sheldon, she just didn't think that he would ever allow it to go to the level he was currently taking it.

Suddenly, Penny came in through the front door and yelled, "Hello! We're back! Nik, are you home?"

Niki walked out to the living room, smiled, and told her friend, "Here, give me Lori. Do you want to leave Blake here for a while? I'm sure the kids would like to play together."

Penny shook her head definitively as she picked up her son and prepared to leave, "No, that's okay. You've got work to do and looking after two kids at once isn't going to help. I don't have to be in until later this afternoon. So, what do you say I take Lori with me and you can work in peace."

"That's really sweet of you. I'll come get her this afternoon, okay?"

"No need for that. I just remembered, Mary is coming over in a few minutes and she wants to take Lori and Blake for the day. I think her and Alfred are planning to do something fun with them."

At that pronouncement, Niki gave a small smile and asked, "When will they be back?"

Penny grinned and made the comment, "When I get home tonight I'll call you and bring Lori back to you. Unless you're going to be talking to Sheldon."

Niki shook her head resolutely, "No, you can be sure I will not be talking to Sheldon tonight."

Penny crossed her arms and fixed her friend with a questioning look, "Still pissed at him? Even after all I told you?"

Niki gave a drawn out sigh and answered her with, "No, I'm not angry, I'm just tired. This distance thing is not working for us. In fact, I think I'll work for a little while longer and then I'll take a break and go up and use the telescope. That's what I used to do when I got upset while I was at Mt. Wilson. Staring out into the universe sometimes helps put things in their proper perspective."

"Whatever floats your boat, Nik. Look, I wish you and Sheldon could get past this. It's so not like you two to be at odds with each other."

Niki came closer and asked her, "Penny, do you remember when I was first dating Sheldon?"

"Of course I do."

Niki pretended to be observing something out the window as she continued, "Well, do you remember when I kept telling you that I was not like Amy and I couldn't ignore his bad behavior like she did?"

Penny took two of her fingers and tilted her friend's head away from the window and towards her, "Nik, she didn't ignore it exactly, she was just very patient with it. I know you're not. But I wish you'd try it just this once. The poor guy looked upset when you weren't there with Lori."

"What did he say?"

Penny shrugged her shoulders and said, "Nothing. He just went even more pale than usual and nodded. He was cool with Lori, though."

Niki gave a small grin and admitted, "He always is. He's a great father, I'll give him that much."

"Nik, you and Sheldon are both stubborn hotheads with more pride and ego than is healthy for either one of you. That's what binds you together so well most of the time, you guys really understand each other. But when you guys butt heads, it's never just a little tiff, it's WWIII. I know you're mad at him, but just think about what I told you earlier, okay? Can you promise me that?"

Niki nodded and replied, "Sure. I truly mean that. But right now, I'm going to go up to the telescope and try to chill out for a bit." She took her daughter from Penny and hugged her tight. "You be a good girl for Grandpa and Grandma, okay?" Niki then gave her back to Penny and waved goodbye to both of them. For about the millionth time she said a prayer of thanks for Penny's friendship. She did not know what she would have done in this situation without her.

When they had left, Niki made herself a cup of tea, relaxed for a half hour or so, and then made her way over to the front house and climbed the curving staircase that led to the second floor and her and Sheldon's offices. She walked past them without looking and finally came to the pull-down staircase that led to the spacious cupola and the telescope housed inside.

Once inside, Niki took a seat on one of the comfortable futons/window seats located along the curve of the room. She had closed her eyes to think for a moment when she felt something hard and solid beneath her. Reaching under the cushion she pulled out a picture frame. Curious as to what it held, she turned it over to find a picture of a very serious looking woman with gorgeous green eyes and silky brown hair. Without looking at the inscription, she knew this was a picture of Amy Farrah Fowler-Cooper. Sheldon had described her very accurately whenever her name had been mentioned by him. She had also seen her picture briefly one day while cleaning out the nightstand on his side of the bed.

Strangely enough, she felt no pangs of jealousy. She and Sheldon had always been completely honest with each other concerning their late spouses. She knew that Amy still held a special place in his heart, as Paul did in hers. Still, she studied the picture more closely. The woman in the picture certainly did not resemble her in the least. Niki supposed that was a good thing, she didn't want to think Sheldon had fallen in love with her because she resembled his late wife. That would have been, to use a Mary Cooper phrase, 'downright creepy'. Amy's hair was long, shiny and a medium brown in color, while her hair was a bit shorter and ash blonde. She decided upon closer inspection that she was much thinner than Amy. Amy looked to be of a normal weight for her height while she, Niki, bordered on being too thin. The main difference, though, was in their mouths. Amy had an almost stern look about her while Niki admitted to herself that she most often looked like she was about to tell a joke or pull a prank on someone, which she often was.

Sighing, Niki put down the picture and stared into space. She wondered to herself what the woman in the picture frame would have done in this situation. She picked up the picture once more and addressed the photo it held, "Just what would you have done if Sheldon Cooper had insulted your professional integrity?"

The woman in the picture responded with, "I would have immediately stood up for myself and tried to reason with him."

Niki almost dropped the picture frame in shock. "Excuse me, did you just speak?"

The woman in the frame nodded, and responded with, "Yes, and I spoke to you. Dr. Horner, I truly want to thank you for all you have done for Sheldon. He needs a good swift kick in the rear sometimes. I was not always a very accurate kicker but you never seem to miss."

Niki decided to continue the conversation with Amy, whether she was real or not, "Until now. Usually when he says things like he has been, I know he means no deliberate harm. But this time, I felt actual malice. Look Amy, Sheldon and I have had our fair share of disagreements, but we've always settled them amicably. This whole scenario is totally new to me."

Amy gave Niki the tiniest of grins and told her, "Welcome to my world. I was always debating on how best to deal with Sheldon and his tantrums. It made life a bit difficult at times, but never, ever boring."

Niki decided to go all the way and ask for some advice from her, so she responded with, "So what do you think I should do? Penny says he is just reacting this way because of change and stress. Do you think that's true?"

"If Penny said that to you, there is more than likely a good deal of truth to it. I often went to Penny for advice."

Now it was Niki who gave a small grin and replied, "Yeah, so do I. Did you know she is an actress now?"

"Yes, I know that. Don't ask me how I know, but I do."

"Okay. What do you think my next move should be with Sheldon?"

Amy's look turned serious and she gave Niki this advice, "Let him know you love him, no matter what boneheaded thing he has done. He needs that, he really does."

Niki looked a bit hurt at her words and asked her, "I suppose. But what about me?"

Amy sadly explained to her, "I'm sorry. But when you're in a relationship with Sheldon Cooper, you will often have to let that attitude go. He needs the reassurance, not you."

"You're wrong there, Amy. I need it too."

Amy shook her head and explained, "Good luck getting it. Sheldon can be extremely selfish sometimes. I hate to say that, but it's true. Just let him know you understand what he is going through and maybe, just maybe, he will give you that reassurance you feel you need."

Niki's face took on a stubborn look and she told her, "Thanks, Amy. But I don't work that way. I don't give in to his, what did you call them? Tantrums, that's it. I just don't put up with them."

This time, Amy's grin was wide, "Why not? He puts up with your sarcasm and stubbornness."

Niki's eyes went wide and she countered with, "Excuse me? _I'm_ stubborn and sarcastic?"

Sheldon's late wife nodded and gently continued, "Of course. It is why he loves you. That, and you're amazingly intelligent. You don't find Nobel Prizes in Cracker Jack boxes, you have to earn them. Congratulations on that, by the way."

"Tell me something, and this is just between the two of us, was Sheldon ever romantic with you?"

This time, Amy gave a hearty chuckle and told Niki, "Not hardly. Oh, he would tell me he loved me and he would kiss me sometimes, but you have to remember that Sheldon was still pretty emotionally repressed when I was with him. He is far less inhibited now."

"But you still think he needs reassurance?"

The apparition nodded and replied, "Now more than ever. He has opened himself to you in a way he never did with me. He needs you to show you still care about him, even when he's acting like a jerk. Look, Niki, he's far from home, far from you, far from his daughter, and far from his friends, except for Leonard. He's most likely a little resentful that you have all of that around you."

Niki thought for a moment and then asked, "Hmmm…okay. So how do I give him this reassurance?"

"How do you two communicate best?"

Niki went into deep thought once more and told Amy, "Well, we make love a lot. And we sit in the Jacuzzi and talk after dinner sometimes."

Dr. Fowler-Cooper made a pointed reply, "Can't do that now, can you? And if I know Sheldon, cyber sex is off the table."

"Yep, you're spot on with that one."

Amy probed Niki further, "So? What else reaches him?"

Niki's face suddenly held a bright smile and she looked directly at the woman in the frame,

"Amy, I know what I'm going to do now. Thank you for the advice, even if you are a ghost in a picture."

Amy's reply was gracious and kind, "Thanks. You know, I still love him."

This time, it was Niki who replied kindly as she acknowledged what Amy had said, "I know that. And he still loves you."

"And I know that. He's good like that. Nikita, I want the man happy. He truly wasn't for so many years."

Niki sat up ramrod straight and demanded, "What about me?"

Amy confessed to her, "I don't really care about you. You're a stranger to me. I do appreciate you bringing love into Sheldon's life again, but beyond that, you're on your own."

"Gee, thanks. You make me feel so wanted and important."

The ghost of marriage past informed her, "It's not what I feel for you that's important. It's what Sheldon feels for you. Are we in agreement on that?"

Niki realized the truth behind Amy's words, "Yes. Well, I suppose I've got work to do. Thank you very much for your advice, Amy. And in case I never see you again, goodbye."

Amy's face began to fade as she waved to Niki and replied, "Goodbye, Nikita. Just take good care of yourself and Sheldon. And that adorable daughter you have."

Before Niki could ask her how she knew about Lori, she found herself lying on the futon, the picture in its frame resting on the floor _._ _Whew!_ _What a dream that was!_ _It was just a dream, right?_ _But it felt so real._ _That's ridiculous, pictures don't really talk to people._ _But it seemed so real._ _Well, whether you were really here or not Amy Farrah Fowler-Cooper, you gave me some good advice and I'm going to follow it._

Niki got up from the futon and ignoring the telescope in the middle of the room, grabbed her laptop and set to work. Music was how she and Sheldon often expressed their feelings to each other, so she sent Chaka Kahn's _Through the Fire_ to Sheldon via Facebook along with a message that said, _I know you're going through a lot, Cooper._ _Just know that I still love you to the farthest star and back._ _Nothing will change my feelings for you_. That accomplished, she went downstairs just in time to see Mary and Alfred come through the front door of the building with Lori and Blake in tow.

As Blake ran off to find his mother in her bedroom, Mary greeted her with, "Hey, Niki, how y'all doing? I hear my son has been a bit of a pain to ya lately. I hope you two got that settled."

"Where did you hear that? From Penny, I'll bet. Anyway, things are getting better." She stooped down to catch her daughter as she came running towards her crying out, "Mommy! I went wif Gamma 'n' Gampa!"

Niki held her precious daughter close to her and replied, "I know you did, Sweetheart. Did you have a good time?"

Lori squealed, "We saw Muppets!"

"Oh, you went to see the new Muppets movie? I'll be that was fun. I loved the Muppets when I was little. They very funny, aren't they?"

"I wike da singing."

Niki looked over the top of her child's head and replied, "Yes, Lori. Music can make magic things happen. Or at least I hope so."

Lori looked up at Niki and asked her, "Go home, Mommy?"

"Of course, darling. We'll go home now. But first I want to thank your Grandma and Grandpa for taking such good care of you."

Alfred smiled warmly at the small child held in her mother's arms, "It was no problem at all, Niki. Mary and I love to have the grandkids sometimes."

"I know, and I appreciate it. Now, if you'll excuse us, me and this little Muppet are going to go home and to bed."

When they arrived home, Niki gave her daughter a bath and put her to bed. She then took a hot shower herself and crawled into her own bed. When she awoke the next morning, she found the following message from Sheldon on her Facebook page, _Niki, I got in quite late and saw your message._ _I will get back to you later on that._ _Right now, I'm off to have dinner with my new friend, Dr. Powers._

Niki blinked at the computer screen and thought to herself, _Good, Sheldon has found himself a friend besides Leonard to hang with._ _I wonder if this guy is a physicist, too?_ _I'll have to ask Sheldon the next time I talk with him._

 **Dr. Powers isn't a guy, Niki.**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 : Mysterious Powers

 **This chapter will be short, but it is the catalyst for much of what happens to both our couples in this story.**

Meanwhile, back at the coffee shop:

"A penny for your thoughts, Dr. Cooper."

Sheldon looked up sheepishly from his cup and tea and replied to Dr. Powers' inquiry, "I was just wondering how things were going back home. I sometimes get a bit homesick."

Heather Powers saw an opening for a more intimate sort of conversation and ran with it, "That's understandable. We're both a long way from home."

Sheldon's curiosity got the better of him and he inquired, "Where is home for you, if I may ask?"

"Chicago."

Heather's prey took the bait and asked, 'Yet you heard me discuss our paper on the east coast. How did that happen?"

"I happened to be in the area visiting a friend, so I made sure I attended your panel topic.", she explained hastily.

Sheldon leaned forward on the table and decided to feed his ego, "Fascinating. It was that intriguing to you?"

Dr. Powers saw that he was hooked and volleyed back with, "Yes. I had been following your work for some time and when the opportunity presented itself to hear you in person, well, I took full advantage of it."

"What part impressed you the most?" he asked, his self-esteem inflating by the second.

Her eyes twinkled with excitement as she, too, leaned forward and responded to his question with, "Your theory on gravity nullification, of course. That was quite an eye-opening idea, to use electromagnets and ceramic disks to eradicate or greatly reduce gravitational forces. Fascinating!"

Sheldon's penchant for avoiding lies took over and he confessed to her, "I must admit, that discovery was, for the most part, Dr. Horner's. I merely helped with the proofs. Raj and Niki came up with the experimental test, a small prototype rocket was made that proved our thesis, and the rest, as they say, is history."

His pursuer would not be convinced and she laid one of her hands on his left arm, which was laying on the table top, "Again, I must accuse you of being far too humble, Dr. Cooper. I'm sure most of that thesis came from you."

"You would be wrong with that thinking. It was a joint project and all three of us contributed to the research on that project. Dr. Horner is a quite capable physicist, believe me. As is Dr. Koothrappali."

Heather withdrew her hand and feigned an amused disappointment, "If you insist, Dr. Cooper."

Sheldon made the decision to lessen the formalities between them when he replied, "Please, you can call me Sheldon."

"Very well, Sheldon. And you may call me Heather. Now, how long are you here for?"

"We have a little more than twp weeks left on our contract, so I believe we will be here until shortly after the middle of February."

Heather Powers knew she had won a small battle, but she fired one of her big guns in hopes of winning the war, "Sheldon, I have a friend who works at Cambridge. Perhaps I can talk to her and arrange a meeting for you with Dr. Hawking."

Sheldon's mouth fell open and he gasped, "You can do that?"

A cat-like smile graced her lips as she continued to set her trap, "Sheldon, I said 'perhaps', but this friend knows Dr. Hawking very well. If you are interested in meeting Hawking, I will do all I can to arrange it. I would love to see the two greatest minds in modern physics meeting to 'talk shop'."

Sheldon's previous plans to take a trip with Leonard to purchase some souvenirs for their wives flew out of his head as he excitedly told his new friend, "I have some free time this coming weekend. I was going to go with Dr. Hofstadter to visit Paris, but Paris will always be there and Dr. Hawking will most likely not."

"Let me call my friend and see what I can do. Now, shall we order something to eat? I purposefully brought you here to taste what may be the best strudel in the world."

Sheldon nodded and glanced at his menu. He was too excited to eat much, but he didn't want to disappoint the woman across from him. So, he made a quick decision and closed his menu, "I don't suppose I can argue with that. I believe I will have a traditional apple strudel."

Heather nodded in agreement and gave him a warm smile, "Good choice, Sheldon, though the milk-cream strudel is one of the oldest known varieties. I believe I will try that one."

Sheldon completely forgot his worries about his relationship with his wife as he pondered actually meeting Dr. Hawking in person. He looked at Dr. Powers and smiled back at her, "Apple will be fine for me. Now, tell me more about Cambridge and how your friend knows Dr. Hawking…"

 **This doesn't look good, does it?**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Caught in Her Web

 **Sheldon begins to spend quite a bit of time with Dr. Powers and Leonard begins to worry.**

For the next several days, Sheldon spent most of his time with Dr. Powers. They saw all the sights of Heidelberg together, went to lunch and dinner many times, and had in-depth conversations about their respective work and research. Leonard began to wonder where his friend was spending all his time. He respected Sheldon's privacy, but still had a strong suspicion that something wasn't right. Niki, after a day or two, was back to Skyping Sheldon every day and while all of his annoyance and shortness with her had vanished, Leonard noticed there was a remoteness developing between his best friend and his wife. One day, he decided to bite the proverbial bullet and address the issue with Sheldon.

"Hey, buddy. Where have you been spending so much time lately? Are we still on for our trip to Paris this weekend?

Sheldon got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen where Leonard was looking into the refrigerator, "Where I have been is none of your business, Leonard. I will say that I have made a friend who is also a visiting professor and we have wonderful conversations regarding the world of science and our places in it."

Leonard grabbed a can of soda, closed the door, and turned to Sheldon while nodding, "Okay, I get that. Talking shop with someone new can help kill the boredom of being here with just each other to talk to." He opened the soda can and then asked his friend. "But what about our trip to Paris this weekend. Is that still on?"

Sheldon left the kitchen and headed back towards the living room, "I'll have to let you know our status on that at a later date. I may have the chance to visit Cambridge on Saturday. I wouldn't want to miss that."

Leonard put his soda can down and turned to face Sheldon. He curiously asked him, "Isn't that where Hawking does his research?"

"Yes, Leonard. You know that very well."

Leonard face got a dreamy look to it and he replied, "It would be something to actually meet him, wouldn't it?"

Sheldon smiled in a superior way and answered, "That's why I may be going there, Leonard."

The smaller man's mouth dropped open and he walked quickly over to Sheldon and inquired, "How did you manage that one, buddy?"

"My new friend, Dr. Powers, has a friend who works at the university and knows Dr. Hawking."

Leonard gave a cautious reply, "Okay, well, just don't forget your old friend, Dr. Hofstadter. Okay?"

One of Sheldon's eyebrows shot upwards at a dramatic angle and he answered his friend in an annoyed voice, "Don't be ridiculous, Leonard. How could I forget you? We live together here and lecture together every other day. It would be rather hard to miss your existence."

"I'm just sayin'…sometimes a new friend can make us forget our older ones."

Sheldon made a half-hearted attempt to placate his friend, "Relax. That will never happen."

Leonard gave Sheldon the weakest of smiles and made an overture of peace, "Okay. That's good to hear. Now, how about us getting some lunch somewhere? It's been a few days since we've done that together."

Sheldon grabbed his room key from the table and looked back at his friend, "I would, Leonard. But I'm meeting Dr. Powers for lunch. Maybe tomorrow."

Leonard looked and felt crushed but he composed himself quickly and replied, "Sure, buddy. Sure. Well, enjoy yourselves."

"Oh, we will. And thank you. I must go now. I wouldn't want to be late. She is a very punctual person, much like me."

A voice in Leonard's head screamed 'SHE?', but his face remained unemotional as Sheldon left their apartment and headed off to meet Dr. Powers. He knew who Sheldon befriended and what they did together was none of his business, still, something wasn't sitting right with him about the whole scenario. He was positive his friend wasn't a womanizer and that the friendship was strictly platonic. Well, he was fairly positive, anyway. He had never known Sheldon to cheat on either of his spouses, but something in his friend's eyes was causing him to worry.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Back in Altadena, Niki was kept busy working, looking after Lori, and spending time with her friends. Now that Sheldon's nastiness had disappeared, she took his remoteness during their conversations as a mix of homesickness, boredom, and unhappiness at being away from most of his friends. They exchanged polite pleasantries, discussed their work, and Niki kept Sheldon updated on Lori's adventures. These conversations weren't what she would have desired between a husband and wife separated by several thousand miles, but they were a tremendous improvement on his caustic criticisms of the previous week.

One morning, Penny came over to the Cooper residence with something urgent on her mind. She, as usual, barged into Niki's home without knocking and called out, "Nik! Are you home?"

Niki quickly emerged from the dining room and greeted her friend with, "Hey, girl. What's up? You're over here bright and early."

Penny took a seat at the breakfast bar and reminded her, "The theater was dark last night, remember? So, I got to bed at a decent hour. Anyway, have you talked to Sheldon recently?"

Niki nodded, "Yesterday. Why?"

Penny thought a moment, and then reluctantly replied, "Leonard just told me that Sheldon is spending a lot of his free time with another visiting professor and it has him a little bit worried."

Niki cocked her head and asked, "Why would Leonard be worried? Sheldon has told me he made a new friend. His name is Dr. Powers and Sheldon's mood has certainly improved since they have been hanging out."

"Nik, Powers is not a 'he'. Dr. Powers is a female."

Niki took in the information and merely shrugged, "Okay. So what? Sheldon has a few friends of the opposite sex. You're friends with him, right?"

Penny got off the barstool and walked towards Niki, a serious look on her face, "Girl, I'm getting a different vibe about this one. Call me paranoid, but this isn't the same thing as him hanging with me, Bernie, Amanda, or Georgia. From what Leonard has discovered about her, she's very single and has a thing for prominent scientists. Her focus is on particle physics, like Raj, but Leonard says she has a reputation for nailing anything in pants who is well known in science circles."

Niki shrugged once more and told Penny, "Okay, so she very friendly in that department. Have you forgotten who she's trying to nail? Sheldon is not the kind of guy who chases women, that kind especially. He has a great distaste for what he calls, 'loose women'. Sheldon Cooper does not sleep around and no matter how hard this Dr. Powers tries, I trust my husband and I firmly believe he will show no interest in her in that way."

"I hope you're right, Nik. Leonard says he's getting worried about the whole situation. Sheldon has even put a question mark on their Paris trip this weekend. He said Sheldon told him he may be going with this Powers woman to visit Cambridge, whatever that is."

Niki face broke into a smile and she reassured her friend, "Relax, Penny. Cambridge is the university that Dr. Hawking works out of. Heck, I'd cancel a trip to Paris if I could meet Hawking. That isn't about her at all, it's about the chance of meeting his idol. I'm not at all worried about it, so tell Leonard there is no need for concern."

Penny took a seat on the living room couch and warned Niki, "I'll tell him, but I don't know if it will do any good. He's really concerned about this instant friendship thing."

Niki grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and joined Penny on the couch, "Fine. Let Leonard be worried. I won't be."

Now it was Penny's turn to shrug, "If you say so. Now, on to other things. My play opens in one week. Are you still going to be there?"

Niki grabbed one of her friend's hands and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Wild horses couldn't prevent me from going, Penny. I'm really getting excited about it."

"Good. Are you still planning on facetiming with Leonard?"

Niki patted Penny on the leg and replied, "Yep, I sure am. He has never missed on of your opening nights and I'm going to make sure that streak doesn't end."

Penny got up from the couch and looked down at Niki, "Okay. Good. Now, I want to invite you and Lori to have breakfast out with me and Blake."

Niki's face broke out in a large smile as she rose from the couch as well, "Thanks, Penny. I'm not about to turn down an invitation like that! Lori's still asleep. We both had a late night last night. Let me wake her up and get her dressed and then we'll go. Give me about thirty minutes. Is that all right?

"Sure. I'll tell you what, call me when you're ready and we'll head out to our local IHOP."

Niki walked Penny to the door and told her, "Perfect! I can't wait! Thanks, girl."

With that, Penny headed back to her home. Once there, everything changed. There was a message from Leonard asking her to get in touch with him IMMEDIATELY.

 **I wonder what's up?** **Could it have something to do with Sheldon?**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: He Cannot Unsee it.

 **Sheldon makes a BIG mistake.** **Will there be hell to pay?** **This chapter focuses entirely on Sheldon Cooper and a something he does that rocks Leonard to his core.**

Sheldon took a seat across from Heather Powers in what he had begun to think of as 'their place', the little coffee shop she had taken him to for strudel the night they had met.

He apologized to her as he took his seat in the booth, "I hope I'm not too late. Leonard was nattering on about a few things and I was delayed leaving. I do hope you're not too upset."

Heather Powers threw him a manufactured smile, which was completely lost on her companion, "Not at all, Sheldon. I know you are a man of your word. These kinds of things happen to all of us occasionally."

Sheldon mentally compared her placid reaction to the temper and sharp words his wife used with him when things went counter to her expectations. Heather was a much calmer, more rational, person than Niki and he found himself enjoying her company more and more as time went on. "I'm so glad you understand. Some people would not. Anyway, I settled things with Leonard and so, here I am." He picked up a menu and began to study it, "Now, what should we order?" he asked her in an eager voice.

She reached out and patted his arm reassuringly, "When you were running late, I took the liberty of ordering us both the vegetable soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. I thought we would try some good old American food for a change."

Sheldon did not move his arm and merely nodded happily, "Good choice. May I say you have very discerning taste Dr. Powers."

Her eyes narrowed and she reminded him, "Now, now. Did we not agree on Heather and Sheldon?"

"That we did. My apologies. Ahh, here comes our food. Well, Bon Appetit!"

When they had finished their lunch, Heather brought up a tricky subject. "Sheldon, I've called my friend and we discussed going to Cambridge to meet Dr. Hawking. She told me that Dr. Hawking will be on campus next weekend, not this coming one."

He was quiet for a moment then responded in a resigned voice, 'That is fine. I suppose this means I can still go to Paris with Leonard."

"You don't sound very enthused about the idea, Sheldon."

He took a long sip of his tea and then answered her with, "Oh, I am. It's just that we promised to bring our wives back some souvenirs, perfume, handbags, and the like. For the most part, I detest shopping for a woman."

Dr. Powers then made a cutting remark that she hoped would hit home, "They both sound a bit entitled."

Sheldon countered her pronouncement with a heartfelt, "That is not a word I would use to describe either of them. But Niki has exquisite taste in perfumes and purses, so Paris is the ideal place to shop for her presents."

Heather leaned forward and eagerly asked him, "What is she like, your wife?"

Sheldon stared into space and vaguely rattled off, "Very intelligent, very humorous, and very temperamental."

Dr. Powers gave the slightest of chuckles and responded with, "She sounds like a handful."

"She can be. But she is also kind, compassionate, and a great mother." Sheldon felt like he must try to defend his wife to this woman, and he also knew he had to be honest, lying wasn't his style.

Heather then dropped a bombshell with, "How is she in bed?"

Sheldon's eyes went wide and his mouth popped open in surprise as he blurted out, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Sheldon. Is she good in bed? Most fiery people are."

He decided to tell the truth. The woman had asked for it, after all, "Yes, Niki is a very enthusiastic and uninhibited lover. I have no complaints in that department."

She arched an eyebrow delicately and asked him in a probing way, "You do have complaints in others?"

Sheldon sighed, he felt a bit disloyal, but he was glad to have someone to air his problems to, "She can be stubborn and sarcastic at times, though she means nothing by it. Her tempers are like a fast approaching storm; you can see them coming and they pass by very quickly."

Heather studied the contents of her coffee cup and pretended to change the subject, "How interesting. Now, back to Cambridge. Is there somewhere we could go to talk further about this visit? I find a coffee shop a bit too public."

The physicist's countenance brightened considerably and he offered, "Well, we could always go back to my apartment. This is Leonard's day to lecture solo, so he should be gone for most of the afternoon. Is that all right with you?"

Dr. Power's smile was blinding as she greeted Sheldon's suggestion with, "That sounds like a splendid idea! We can have a cup of tea and sit down to discuss our going to Cambridge."

He rose and snatched the bill from the table before Heather could get it and replied, "Very well, let's pay our bill and get going. I have a lot to ask you about how you friend knows Dr. Hawking."

Thirty minutes later, Sheldon opened the door of his and Leonard's apartment with the key card and motioned Heather to step past him and go inside. After closing the door, Sheldon motioned for her to take a seat on the couch while he went into the kitchen and reappeared shortly holding two bottles of water instead of the aforementioned tea. He took a seat next to his friend and handed her one of the waters, eager to continue their discussion from earlier in the coffee shop.

So," he asked her, "how does your friend know Dr. Hawking?"

Dr. Powers looked slightly uncomfortable as she replied, "She works in the same department he does, only she isn't a world-famous physicist. Cari is more of a transcriptionist. She takes what Dr. Hawking has in his notes and puts them into lecture formats. She's quite good at it and has worked at that position for many years."

Sheldon was confused. How would a mere transcriptionist get him an audience with his idol? He felt he needed to say _something_ in response to his friend's pronouncement, so he decided to fake some enthusiasm, "Fascinating. But she isn't an actual physicist herself?"

Heather worked quickly to clarify her earlier statement, "She has the degree, but never used it in any way but this. I don't believe she ever had the confidence to do research or teaching on her own." At this point, Heather leaned in closer to Sheldon and cooed, "Not like you. You have carved quite a niche for yourself in the physics world and I admire that."

Sheldon sat back and thought for a moment, then proceeded with, "I understand not wanting to teach, my wife does that part time and I have never been able to comprehend her intense love for the profession."

Heather was losing her patience, so she leaned in to Sheldon and interrupted him, "Enough about your wife. Why don't we talk more about us?"

Once again, Sheldon found himself confused and in need of more clarification from Dr. Powers, so he asked her, "What about us? Would you like to talk more about physics or our trip to Cambridge?"

Heather gently guided Sheldon's head close to hers and before she let her lips meet his, she answered him in a low, husky voice, "How about this?"

Sheldon's mind began to scream, _What is she doing?_ _She's kissing me, that's what!_ _Friends don't kiss each other like this._ _However, it does feel nice to be wanted._ _Niki has been so cold lately._ _I know I haven't been very pleasant to speak with, but I am lonely, confused, and unhappy._ _Surely she knew this and should have at least attempted to soothe me._ _But she didn't._ _Still, I am uncomfortable with this action._

Heather's mind was going down a completely different track, _Why is he being so wooden?_ _He hasn't seen his wife in almost two weeks._ _Surely, he must be needing a little physical action from a willing female._ _I know, I'll let my hands explore him a bit._ _That always gets their motors running._ _Sheldon may be a bit odd, but he IS a man and men love sexual attention._

 _Dear lord, now her hands are going under my shirt._ _This sort of attention belongs only to my wife!_ _Niki and I may be having our differences right now, but I do love her very much._ _This woman is almost a total stranger to me._ _She doesn't kiss like Niki, either._ _Nor like Amy._ _Their kisses were loving as well as wanton._ _This woman's kiss feels like it is part of a game._ _A game I am going to call a halt to immediately._ _I do not play games with my sexual feelings._ _Those are strictly reserved for the woman I love, and I don't love this woman at all!_

While The Kiss was going on, Leonard Hoffstadter exited the elevator of the apartment building and headed down the hall to the housing unit he shared with Sheldon. He had been more than a tad disappointed when his solo lecture had been cut short by an emergency faculty/student meeting regarding some discovered student plagiarism. He sighed deeply. His lecture had been rescheduled to the next week, but he had very much been looking forward to speaking that afternoon. He had finally decided to go back to the apartment and hang out with Sheldon. They hadn't done that in a few days and his mood began to lift at the thought of spending the afternoon playing Halo with his good friend. He inserted the key card in the door, opened it, and saw his best friend entwined on the couch with Dr. Powers, sharing a passionate kiss and more.

Before he could take in that Sheldon was being very passive in the embrace, he shouted the first thing that came to his mind, **"** **What the** **fuck are you doing, Sheldon?** **Have you gone insane?"** With that, he stormed out of the room and down the hall to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Anger, disbelief, and bewilderment were all simultaneously racing through his mind.

 **Uh oh.** **I think our boy is in deep trouble.**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Mea Culpa

 **It seems Leonard is not the only one angry at Sheldon, he is pretty mad at himself as well.** **This chapter is short, but that is by design.** **Sheldon's actions had a deep impact on him and I wanted his reaction to be brief, but intense.**

Immediately after Leonard's outburst and subsequent exit, Sheldon forcibly pushed Dr. Powers away from him and exclaimed, "Dr. Powers, that was most uncalled for. Please leave, NOW!"

She seemed unfazed by Sheldon's anger and told him, "Come on, Sheldon. You know you wanted that as much as I did. Don't deny it."

He inched even further away from her and replied testily, "I very much will deny it. I have only kissed two women in my life in that manner. And they were both my wives! I enjoyed talking physics with you and I must admit, my ego overpowered my common sense when you complimented me, but I never once viewed you as a sexual or romantic partner."

Heather looked fairly smug as she countered his reply with, "Sheldon, you even admitted there were problems in your marriage. That is why I did what I did."

Sheldon's anger was momentarily replaced with bewilderment and he blurted out, "Problems? When did l say there were problems in my marriage? My wife does things from time to time that aggravate me, but I'm sure my eccentricities bother her even more than hers bother me. Neither of us is handling the distance between us very well, especially me, but that will be rectified when I go home. However, I would never cheat on Niki. I love her very much and when we took our wedding vows, I meant every word of them."

Dr. Powers gave him a challenging look and spat out, "If that is true, then why have you sought me out and spent quite a bit of time with me?"

Sheldon gave a long sigh, searched within himself and admitted to both of them, "The truth? I was lonely. I miss my home, my wife, my daughter, my friends, and all the familiar trappings of my home."

Heather wasn't buying it, "You have Leonard here. You could have talked with him."

Sheldon sadly shook his head and explained his reasoning to her, "Not if I wanted to be a true friend to him. He is far from his wife and child, also, and I didn't want to make him miss them any more than he already does. Penny is one of the sweetest people you will ever want to know and she is also one of my dearest friends. She is Niki's best friend as well. Also, if it wasn't for my friendship with Leonard, I wouldn't have come here. Everyone at our facility has some claim to fame to be proud of. Niki, Koothrapalli, and I have all won a Nobel Prize. Howard has been a Payload Specialist on three different missions to the International Space Station. Leonard has had no large success such as those, and he more than deserves one. That is why I came here, to help our paper get noticed and perhaps get Leonard an award in science that he so richly deserves. This trip isn't at all about me and my glory, believe me."

Heather grinned maliciously, "Do you think Leonard will tell his wife what he just saw?"

Sheldon shrugged and hung his head despondently, "I truly have no idea. If he does, well, I deserve it. I should never have suggested to you that we come here. I assumed you just enjoyed talking science with me. I was blind to the fact that you may have wanted more. It felt good to be complimented by you and I took advantage of that fact. Here's the truth about that Nobel paper: The work on that was split evenly and it was Niki, not me, that connected all the dots of our research and made the final findings. If l haven't told you this before, Dr. Nikita Horner is every bit as gifted a scientist as anyone else at our facility. I have broken her trust by letting you kiss me and I feel totally responsible for whatever happens in my life because of that lapse of judgement. Now, would you kindly leave this apartment and never return? I have the feeling you set me up for this. I have come to the realization that you are a master manipulator and I am far too gullible and needy. I have shamed my marriage, hurt my wife, and angered my best friend. How can this day get any worse?"

Dr. Powers eyes narrowed and she replied acidly, "Well, I could spread the rumor that we have been having an affair since you arrived here. Unless of course, you could add my name to any current research you are working on. A Noble prize would look rather nice on my mantel at home. Don't you think?"

Sheldon rose hastily from the couch and pointed towards the door as he shouted, "OUT! NOW! The name of Dr. Heather Powers will never darken any paper I write. Do you understand me? Say what you will to whomever you will, but I will never, EVER, corrupt my research in that manner!"

Heather rose, straightened her skirt and looked him square in the eye as she made a thinly veiled threat, "As you wish, Sheldon. But don't think for a moment there will not be repercussions for your actions."

"What you think or do does not worry me right now. I am more concerned with what Niki, my friends, and my family will think."

Sheldon's nemesis glared at him and spat out, "We'll see about that, Sheldon. We'll just see."

He grabbed the detestable woman by the hand and drug her to the door, "GET OUT! And it is Dr. Cooper to you!"

Heather Powers then smiled evilly, turned from him, and left the apartment. Sheldon Cooper was then left alone with his thoughts, which were not at all pretty.

In the empty living room, Sheldon Cooper spied the water bottle that had been partially used by Dr. Powers. He picked it up and hurled it at the nearest wall with all his might, then watched the bottle explode and its contents run down the wall and puddle on the floor. He then made his way to the couch and held his head in his hand and began to sob. Savage thoughts about his actions careened through his mind. _How could I have allowed this to happen?_ _How could I have hurt the person I love more than anyone in the world?_ _How could I have acted so basely._ _Why?_ _Was it to feed my ego?_ _I thought I had put those days far behind me but now I realize I am still quite capable of acting quite selfishly if the right situation presents itself._

Sheldon mentally pictured his entire life falling apart in front of him, much like an imploding building that is being demolished. He saw his work, his career, his friends, all vanishing in the rising dust from the rubble. But first and foremost, he saw his family coming apart. Right in front of him he pictured Niki's face, filled with hurt, anger, and disillusionment. "Oh, Niki!" he wailed out loud, though he had no realization he was doing that, "how could I have done this to you? You are an excellent wife and life partner and I have treated you abysmally. You are the last person I wanted to hurt, but it seems this will hurt you the most. Oh, how I wish I could undo this entire trip and handle it like a mature adult instead of like a petulant child. I never meant to hurt you, Niki. Never. I didn't kiss her back or even invite the kiss from her. But the blame is still on me. I shouldn't have invited that succubus up here in the first place. Oh, Niki, if I could do it over I would let you know how sad and lonely I am here and we could talk about it and work something out. I miss you more than you will ever know and now I feel like I will lose you forever! How can I live without you by my side? And Lori, how could I have torn apart the happy family she was born into? My actions have been despicable and there is no way I can rectify them now."

Lost in a deep despair, Sheldon Cooper curled up on the couch in a fetal position and that is how Leonard Hofstadter found him several hours later.

 **Will Leonard tell Penny what he saw?** **Will Heather Powers seek revenge?** **Will Sheldon ever recover?** **Will Niki hear about this from Penny?** **So many questions that will eventually have to be answered.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The Aftermath

 **Penny calls Leonard, who tells her everything.** **Now, how does she break the news to Niki and how does Sheldon's wife react?** **Leonard seeks help from an unexpected source.**

Niki was close to being ready to venture out her front door with Lori and make her way to the Hofstadter residence, when a loud voice stopped her in her tracks. "Niki! I sure hope you're sitting down, girlfriend!"

Niki immediately opened the door and motioned Penny inside, "What's up and why are you yelling like that? Did you win the lottery or something?"

Penny ushered both children into the nursery and made sure they were content to play there for a bit before she answered her friend, "I wish. Look, I just got off the phone with Leonard and he told me something I think you should know."

Niki noticed the intent look on her friend's face and asked her, "What's that?"

Penny sighed, dropped her gaze, and answered her in sad voice, "Sheldon isn't doing so well. According to Leonard, he's in a pretty bad state."

Niki was suddenly on full alert and she demanded in a panicked voice, "What do you mean? Has he been in an accident? Is he sick? What?"

Penny was quick to lay a hand on Niki's shoulder in an effort to calm her down, "No, nothing like that. Relax. Well, not relax, but Sheldon's health is not in any danger."

Niki relaxed a tiny bit and sat down on the couch, she patted the place next to her in an invitation for Penny to join her there. She followed that by asking, "Then what is it? You're face looks white and I know something's up. Tell me."

Penny nodded and began to speak, "Okay, but first, sit down."

Niki looked strangely at her friend and reminded her, "I _am_ sitting. Now tell me."

Penny knew she couldn't put off her news any longer and replied, "Leonard saw Sheldon and that Powers woman making out on the couch."

Niki's eyes went wide in disbelief and she spat out, "I don't believe that! Sheldon would never do that to me. He has his faults, certainly, but he's as loyal a person as they come."

Penny had tears forming in her eyes and she explained, "Nik, I didn't want to believe it at first, either. But Leonard saw it with his own eyes. He said they were kissing and her hands were under his shirt."

Niki looked as if she were in shock, the hurt was plain in her voice as she responded with, "They were kissing?"

Penny nodded and then added, "Well, Leonard says it looked more like _she_ was kissing _him_ , but still."

Niki was somewhat calmed and she once again stared her friend in the eye, "Okay, Leonard saw what may be a perfectly explainable, minor indiscretion on Sheldon's part. But why is he in a bad way?"

Penny didn't answer her question right away, instead, she continued on about the kiss, "Hey, I didn't believe it at first, either."

Niki was beginning to grow impatient and she pressed her friend for more details, "I get that, but what is wrong with Sheldon?"

"Well, Leonard said he kinda yelled at him and then went to his room. It's what happened after that's the problem."

Niki's patience came to an abrupt end and she snapped, "Penny, please. Get to the point! The man's my husband!"

Penny took a deep breath and continued her tale, "Well, Leonard overheard Sheldon tell her that her actions were waaay outta line and then he kicked the bitch out pretty quickly. What's more, she tried to blackmail him after she knew he wasn't having any of what she was offering. And from what Leonard could make out, it was Powers who started it all and Leonard thinks he walked in before Sheldon had a chance to end it."

Niki seemed a bit mollified, but Penny still hadn't completely answered her question. So, she pressed her further for more details, "Okay, so why is my husband in a bad way?"

"Well, Leonard told me that after he made her leave, Sheldon started talking to himself, crying, and taking all the blame for what happened. Leonard waited for a long time to let him work through it and when he came out to the living room to check on him, he found him pretty much out of it and curled up in a ball on the couch."

Niki covered her face with her hands and wailed, "Oh my god! Did Leonard get him to respond?"

Penny shook her head sadly, "Not yet. He's called someone they know from the school and he's helping Leonard deal with this."

Niki's eyes narrowed and her temper took over, even though she knew full well that Penny was merely the messenger, not the cause of the situation, "Why haven't they called a doctor for heaven's sake?"

Penny understood her friend's reaction and explained as kindly as she could, "Sweetie, Leonard wants to keep it quiet. This could hurt Sheldon's career big time if it got out. It seems Sheldon's vitals are fine. He just isn't responding to anyone."

Suddenly, Penny's phone rang and she answered it quickly, "Hello, Leonard? What? Oh, that's good. Okay, I'll tell her."

Niki leaned forward and asked urgently, "What did Leonard say? Was it anything about Sheldon?"

Penny slowly put her phone down and replied softly, "Yeah. He's conscious and responding, but Leonard says he's pretty depressed and down on himself. I think he blames himself for ever talking to the woman."

"If I know Sheldon, he just saw her as another scientist, someone he could talk to. I don't think he had a sexual conquest on his mind at all."

Penny suddenly remembered an important fact and added, "Well, she _did_ try to shake him down for credit on one of his papers."

Niki nodded and explained to her friend, "Knowing Sheldon, that is what probably bothers him the most. From time to time he's always had different women hitting on him. He knows full well how to shut down that action. But a demand to be named as a co-author on one of his papers? That must have really hit him where it hurts."

Penny tried to understand what her friend had said by putting it in her own terms, "I'm not a scientist, but I imagine that must be like another actor saying they starred with me in a movie or play they were never a part of."

Niki rose from the couch and headed for the kitchen, "Honestly Penny, it's something like that, but worse. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of hours that go into the research of a major scientific paper, like ours on gravity nullification. To have someone black mail another scientist into putting their name on a work they never lifted a finger towards, well, that's just the worst breach of ethics I can imagine."

"Worse than cheating on your spouse?"

Niki stopped and gave her friend a small grin, "Okay, not worse, but on the same level. I can see why Sheldon is upset with himself, but honestly, how was he to know what she had up her sleeve?"

Penny decided to join her friend in the kitchen, so she left her seat and made her way across the room, asking, "Will this hurt his reputation?"

Niki shook her head and answered, "Not as long as Leonard and other scientists back him up in his story. You said yourself she is well known as a skank and opportunist, so I think his rep in the scientific community will be okay."

"Unless someone spreads a rumor that he went to Germany because you guys were having marital problems."

Niki opened the refrigerator door, then stopped, turned to Penny and asked her, "Who would do that?"

"Dr. Powers and any of her slimy friends, that's who."

Niki reluctantly agreed with her, "You're right, as usual. Let me think on this a bit, Penny. Did Leonard say I should contact Sheldon?"

Penny let out a long sigh and once more laid a hand on Niki's shoulder, "He told me that Sheldon's kind of emotionally fragile right now. I'd wait a day or two. But I can tell Leonard to tell Sheldon that you believe him and aren't mad at him."

"But Penny, I _am_ kind of mad at him. He treated me like crap and then went and hung out with this tramp and talked with her like he should have been talking to me. I don't believe Sheldon had cheating on his mind, and I know it wouldn't have gone that far, but it's the way he sought her out to talk that hurts."

Penny's hand stayed where it was and she gave Niki's shoulder a gentle squeeze as she told her, "Maybe you should give it a day or two. You've got a lot to think about, girlfriend."

Nik finally pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator and gave a resigned sigh, "Yes, I do. When I figure out what I'm going to do, you'll be the first to know. For now, give me a little space and time to digest all of this. But do tell Leonard to tell Sheldon that I don't believe he intended to cheat on me. That I know."

"Okay. I'll start with that. Do you still want to do breakfast?"

Niki nodded, "Well, Lori is looking forward to it, so yeah. But you've got to promise me that we won't talk about this at all with the kids around."

Penny hugged her and gave a reassuring reply, "Of course not! That's Lori's father and Blake's Godfather we're talking about. No, I can promise you I won't say a word about this in front of Blake or Lori."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

When Leonard found Sheldon comatose on the couch, his first reaction was pure panic. What was he going to do? He didn't want to call for help because he didn't want to destroy Sheldon's reputation in either academia or science. Still, he couldn't just leave him in the state he was in. How do you explain to people the inert man laying curled up on your couch? Furthermore, how would he explain Sheldon's absence at his lectures, the next one scheduled to begin in less the twenty-four hours?

Leonard began to pace and his mind slowly began to think rationally. Who did they know that had a level head on their shoulders and no grudge against, or expectations of, Dr. Sheldon Cooper? Who among the few people they knew at this institution had nothing to either gain nor lose with the information that an esteemed member of their guest faculty was in an almost infantile state and totally unable to function in his usual manner? Suddenly, Leonard's face brightened and he put in a call to their quasi-colleague who had helped them both assimilate to Germany. Without giving himself time to give in to any self-doubts, Leonard placed a call to Helmut Hoffman.

The man answered his phone with his usual detachment, _Good afternoon, Helmut Hoffman here._ _May I ask who is calling?_

 _Helmut, it's Leonard, Leonard Hofstadter._ _I have a little situation going on here that I hope you can help me solve._

 _Let me guess, does this 'situation' involve your irritating partner, Dr. Cooper?_

 _Wow, you're good._ _Yes, yes it does._

 _I know I'm going to regret asking this, but what seems to be the problem and how can I help you?_

 _Let's just say I caught Sheldon in what I thought was a compromising position with someone._ _I kinda went off on him and he responded by curling up on my couch and turning into a deaf mute._ _He isn't responding to either me or any form of external stimuli I have used._

 _I see._ _Is the object of the compromising encounter still in your apartment?_

 _No._ _Sheldon threw her out._

 _May I ask an indelicate question?_ _Who was he supposedly dallying with?_

 _Someone named Dr. Heather Powers._

 _Leonard, I know that woman._ _She is a total beast and man-eater._ _I will be right over._ _Let's just say this is now a personal vendetta for me._

 _You're familiar with how this woman operates?_

 _Unfortunately, yes._ _She attempted to set me up in the same way she did Sheldon._ _I'm not as well known in the physics world, but I know some people who are, and that is why she targeted me. Fortunately, I am not quite as naïve as your friend and I saw through her little act before the damage was done._ _As you Americans say, hang tight._ _I'll be right over._

 _Thanks a lot._ _I really appreciate this._

 _As I told you before, this is now personal._ _I will be more than happy to help you._ _Now, good day and I will see you shortly._

Both men simultaneously ended the call and Leonard sat down next to his out-of-it friend to await the arrival of one Helmut Hoffman.

 **Will Helmut be able to help our boys?** **What will he ask in return?** **Finally, how do you think Niki will ultimately handle this situation?** **Read on and find out.**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: What's in the bag?

 **How does Helmut help Sheldon?** **Meanwhile, Niki finds something that may be the answer to Sheldon's puzzling behavior.**

Helmut Hoffman walked into the utilitarian apartment shared by the two American physicists and announced, "I am here." Spying the comatose Sheldon on the couch he asked in an offhand manner, "How long has he been that way?"

Leonard thought for a moment and then replied nervously, "I can't say for sure, I was in my room when it all went down, but I'd say at least a few hours, maybe five or six."

Helmut scratched his chin and thought for a moment, "Hmmm…all right then. Now, does he," pointing to Sheldon, "have anything he particularly hates or loves?"

The older man smiled and nodded, "Sure, tons of things. But those two categories are both topped by people. His biggest hate is for another physicist named Barry Kripke. His biggest love, besides physics, is his wife, Niki or his daughter, Lori."

Now it was Helmut's turn to nod, "I see. That makes this a bit more difficult. We can't exactly bring any of those people here in a timely manner, for different reasons, of course."

Leonard agreed and gave a further explanation to the young man, "Yeah, bringing Kripke here would be a baaad idea. The man lives to torment Sheldon. He'd definitely use this incident against him. Niki can't come, she has to stay home and take care of Lori, whose not even two-years-old."

At the mention of Sheldon's daughter, Helmut's eyes grew wide and his entire countenance went from a feigned indifference to intense interest, "Wait. Wait just a moment. Do you by any chance have an audio recording of the little girl? She is the only one of the two people he loves who is a bit removed from the situation."

Leonard answered him without completely understanding why the man had asked him that question, "Lori? Yeah, lots of them. I'm her godfather. I must have twenty videos of her on my phone."

"Do you have one where she's calling out to Sheldon?"

The older man began to understand what the plan was going to be as he picked up his phone and began to search through his saved videos, "I think so. Let me see…yeah, I've got a couple of them."

Helmut's attitude went back to that of amused detachment as he suggested to Leonard, "Well, pick one and play it at maximum volume, if you don't mind."

"You think that will work?" Leonard asked him in a worried voice. He understood the theory behind what he was about to do, but he doubted that something that simple could bring his friend out of his trance.

Helmut looked him straight in the eye and replied with an assuring, "Leonard, I have every confidence that it will. The one time the man looked what most of us would call human was when he was telling me about his daughter. He must love that child very much. Most of the time the man's an ass. I only came over here for your sake."

Leonard quickly defended his friend, "Don't judge him from what you've seen of him while he's been here. He's not really an ass at all."

A small smirk appeared on the younger physicist's face as he countered with, "I see. He's a kind, humorous, and humble person at home?"

Leonard admitted sheepishly, "No. Not exactly," then quickly added, "but he's an ass a lot less often there. It's the combo of his wife and kid. He adores them both and the two of them have humanized him a lot."

Helmut was now smiling broadly, "Good. That works in our favor." He then commanded Leonard to, "Play the video, please. Loudly."

Leonard opened the file he had chosen, one of Lori posing in one of her many princess outfits, turned the volume all the way up, and began to play the video. Five seconds into it, Lori could be heard yelling, "Look at me, DaDa. Look!"

Sheldon's eyes suddenly opened and he uncurled himself from the fetal position he was in, sat up, and looked around the room in confusion. "Where am I and what am I doing on the couch at this late hour?" he asked both the men. "And, good lord, what is Helmut doing here?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Meanwhile, back in Altadena…

Niki and Lori finished having their breakfast outing with Penny and Blake and returned home. While Lori played with her toys on the floor, Niki sat down at her desk and attempted to do a bit of research. Things went fairly well for a few hours until her daughter's repeated interruptions and downturn in attitude brought an end to her efforts. Niki realized that it was time for Lori's afternoon nap, so she scooped her up from the rug, took her into the nursery, cleaned her up and changed her diaper, then kissed her and gently placed Lori in her crib. It didn't take long for the little girl to fall asleep and Niki used that time for some relaxation of her own. She went into her own room, thinking to herself, _a little nap wouldn't be a bad idea for me, also._ _My mind needs a rest between working and being worried about what Sheldon did._ _It's time I treated myself to a nice sit in the jacuzzi and a little bit of sleep._

While in the jacuzzi, Niki relaxed and her mind began to wander. She wistfully recalled the last time she had sat in this tub. It had been the night before Sheldon's departure and he had joined her for a soothing soak. While in the jacuzzi, they had talked intimately and affectionately, having a playful argument of who would miss who more and how they both hoped Leonard would finally be rewarded for all his hard work. Niki sighed sadly, neither of them had envisioned the events of the last twenty-four hours and her mind returned to the burning question of what would be her response to Sheldon's actions. Should she call him up for an explanation or should she sit tight and let Leonard handle things for a bit? Her mind finally grew tired and the soothing jets of the jacuzzi did their job. Niki emerged from the tub a bit more rested and relaxed, but still lacking the answers she sought. She headed over to her bed and laid down. Before she could manage a coherent thought, sleep overtook her and everything went black.

When she awoke, two hours later, she sat straight up and looked around her. She was a bit disoriented, as she was not in the habit of sleeping in the afternoon. Niki listened for any sounds from the nursery that would tell her that Lori was awake. Hearing nothing, she sat back and pondered her next move regarding the situation with Sheldon. Coming up with no workable solutions, Niki finally decided to leave the bed and get herself something to eat. As she swung her legs over the side of the bed, she spied something in the far corner of the room.

It wasn't anything large or out of the ordinary, just a small black bag. Niki cocked her head in confusion and her mind went into overdrive. The bag was Sheldon's. It was the bag where he kept his toiletries and other personal effects. Niki's brows drew together as she tried to figure out why this particular bag had been left behind. As far as she could recall, the morning of his departure all of Sheldon's larger suitcases had already been stowed in the trunk of her car. All that had been left out were the bag that contained his plane tickets and computer, and this one. Niki also remembered that Leonard and Penny had been very late getting to their house, as he and Penny had decided on one more round of early morning delight before they met the Coopers.

Niki let her thoughts continue to run. There was something there she was missing and she was certain if she followed her mind on its backwards journey, she would discover the answer to most of her questions. Sheldon had been extremely irate at the Hofstadter's tardiness and had complained loudly and obnoxiously to her about the situation. She suddenly remembered that she had asked Sheldon a very pointed question regarding something that was in that bag. Suddenly Niki's eyes grew wide and she understood all her husband's actions since he had landed in Germany. She quickly grabbed her phone from the nightstand and called Penny.

 _Hey, Nik._ _What's up?_

 _Penny, what are you doing for the next few days?_

 _Rehearsals._ _Remember?_

 _Could they do without you for a little bit?_

 _Nik, what are you getting at?_

 _I need you to go with me somewhere._

 _I'm almost afraid to ask, but where are you going?_

 _You mean where are_ _ **we**_ _going?_

 _Okay, where are_ _ **we**_ _going?_

 _Germany._

 _Nik, are you insane?_ _Are you going there in person to kill Sheldon?_

 _Not at all._ _I'm merely going to be bringing him something he left here._

 _What, his common sense?_

 _Something like that._

 _I don't get it._

 _Penny, Sheldon forgot one of his bags here and it has something in it that is very important to him._ _I'm going to bring it to him._

 _Can't you just mail it?_

 _No._ _And I have to get approval and a formal note to take it with me._

 _Okay, now you've got me curious._ _What exactly is it and why do you need me to go with you?_

 _I need you with me because you're my best friend and I thought you might like to visit Leonard for a couple of days._ _I'll tell you what it is I'm taking him when you get here._

 _What about the kids?_

 _I've got that figured out already._ _Alfred is in France, studying some new cave paintings that were discovered there._ _I'm sure Mary would love to go with us to see him._ _She can watch them whenever we can't and she's not busy with Leonard's dad._

 _Okay, I'm almost convinced._ _When do we leave?_

 _It will take a couple of days at least before I get permission to take Sheldon what he forgot. So, are you in?_

 _What was it he forgot?_

 _His shaving kit._

 _Nik, you're losing me here._ _Why would you need special permission to take his stupid shaving kit to him?_ _He most likely bought himself some razors, shaving cream, and aftershave lotion there._

 _That's not all he forgot._

 _Girl, be straight with me._ _What is it?_

 _Can you keep a secret?_

 _You know I can, Sweetie._

 _Then I'll tell you when you get here._

 _Okay._ _Just let me clear this with my producers._ _Maybe I can phone in my rehearsals._

 _Or Skype them._

 _Nik, you're a genius._ _Okay, I'll be over asap._ _I can't wait to hear what it is the Wackadoodle forgot._

With that, both ladies ended the call and Niki went into the living room to wait for her friend's arrival.

 **What was it that Sheldon forgot to bring with him?** **And why does Niki need permission from the government to take it to him?**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Regret

 **It seems Dr. Cooper is still beating himself up.** **Justified?** **Maybe.** **Maybe not.** **Read on.**

Sheldon was awake and responding to both the men in the room, but he was far from recovered from his ordeal. Guilt over what he had allowed to happen permeated every level of his existence. He still failed to understand just how his judgment had become so clouded. He was not the type to invite strange women he had known less than a month up to his apartment. His thoughtless actions had reminded him of the way Howard Wollowitz had acted before he had met and married Bernadette. He felt intense shame and deep regret, but also a sense of confusion. He had never in his life behaved in that manner. He often did talk to women, especially other physicists of the opposite gender. However, he had never viewed them as possible sexual partners, only as fellow scientists. Why on earth had he invited Heather Powers up to the apartment? Thinking back, he recalled the repeated touches, her hand on his arm, her arm around his waist when they had walked together, her leaning in a little too closely during their conversations, and her often disrespectful attitude towards Niki. All these things should have warned him of her well-plotted end game, but they hadn't.

Now, Sheldon was left to ponder what the repercussions of his bad decision making would be. Divorce? He didn't want to think about that at all. Marriage counseling? Perhaps that was a road they could take. A complete loss of trust on Niki's end? Dear lord, the one thing he had never wanted to do was hurt her like her late husband had done. This thought made his self-castigation even more severe. He could almost picture the tears forming in her large, grey eyes as someone, either Penny or Leonard, filled her in on his mistake. How her poor heart would break and he was the cause. At that thought, Sheldon buried his head in his hands once more and began to sob uncontrollably.

Leonard quickly ran to his side, sat down next to him, and patted him on the back, "Hey, buddy. Everything's going to be all right. I called Penny and told her what happened. She'll help calm Niki down."

"No, Leonard," Sheldon wailed, "Niki will hate me and Penny will support her. I don't know if I can handle the pain and shame of a divorce. Dear lord, what will my mother say?"

Suddenly, Leonard's phone announced that he had in incoming text. He stood up, went over to the table it was laying on, read the message, and a smile appeared on his face. "I don't think you have to worry about Niki's reaction. Penny just texted me that Niki knows you didn't cheat on her. She's not sure what happened, but Penny said Nik wanted me to assure you that she knows you would never do that. You've got a hell of a wife, buddy."

Sheldon nodded and managed a tiny grin, "I suppose I do. Penny would have killed you first and asked questions later."

Leonard visibly relaxed and produced a sincere smile of his own, "You got that right. My wife doesn't play around. But Niki isn't like that. Wait a minute, she usually is. Why do you think she's letting you live?"

His friend gave a hopeful reply, "She loves me?"

The smaller man thought a moment and then truthfully replied, "It's gotta be more than that."

Another suggestion was made, "Penny is magic?"

At that, Leonard's face beamed and he agreed with the man on the couch, "That could very well be right. Niki always goes to Penny for advice. Penny must have done some pretty fancy talking."

Sheldon hung his head and admitted to both himself and his friend, "Your wife possesses an intelligence

both you and I sorely lack."

Suddenly, they both heard Helmut Hoffman clear his throat and say, "While I find the conversation between the two of you quite touching, there seems to be no further need of me here. If you both will excuse me, I have a lecture to prepare to give first thing in the morning, so I will be taking my leave."

Leonard looked over at the younger man and replied honestly, "I owe you big time, Helmut. We both do. Thank you for everything and good luck with your lecture."

"It is for first year undergraduates. I suppose I will eventually work my way up to lecturing for fellow professors, graduates, and post graduates like you and Dr. Cooper currently do while you are here. But for now, your wishes for luck are well appreciated. And if you should ever be interested in another physicist for your facility, please don't hesitate to give me a thought and a call. Good day, gentlemen." With those words, Helmut Hoffman left the room with his usual lack of fanfare.

Sheldon looked up at his friend and asked, "What did Helmut do to deserve your thanks?"

Leonard sat down next to his friend and began to speak to him in a soothing manner, "Just listen, buddy. That young man knows people almost as well as Penny. Here's the deal…"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

While Niki waited in her living room for Penny to arrive, she picked up her laptop and did some quick internet research. What she found there strongly supported her theory concerning Sheldon's actions since landing in Germany. She printed out her evidence and turned off her laptop. It was then that she heard the familiar voice of Penny call out, "Girl, are you decent?"

"I'm fine. Come on in."

Penny closed the door behind her and asked her friend in an urgent voice, "Okay, Nik. Spill it. What is it that we're going to take to Sheldon? And I'm not talking about his shaving kit."

Niki responded to her question promptly, "It's not his shaving kit, it's what's in there."

Penny had had enough wordplay and she put her hands on her hips and demanded firmly, "Okay, what's in there that is so darn vital to him that we have to fly all the way to Germany to give it to him?"

Niki thought back to a conversation she had shared one time with Sheldon while at Disneyland, shortly before Raj's wedding: *See: The Assistant Conundrum – Chapter 52

 _"_ _Can I ask you a question I've never asked you before?"_

 _"_ _Of course you can."_

 _"_ _You have told me that you used to be averse to human touch and were a germaphobe._ _How did you ever manage to make love to Amy?"_

 _"_ _Oh._ _I have never explained that to you have I?_ _Well, when I was seriously considering becoming physical with Amy, which was quite a while before we actually did, I went to a psychiatrist for a bit and I was properly diagnosed with OCD._ _I was given Paxil to help with my symptoms._ _I still take that medication to this day._ _That medication allows me to touch another person without panicking."_

Niki took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and proceeded to answer Penny's question as simply and honestly as she could without betraying her husband.

"We have to take him his medication."

One of Penny's eyebrows shot up at an incredibly oblique angle that told Niki she wasn't buying it and asked pointedly, "What medication? I didn't know Sheldon was sick."

Niki gave a long sigh and decided the situation warranted full disclosure of Sheldon's secret. Actually, she reasoned to herself, there was really no reason to keep it a secret. Were diabetics ashamed of taking insulin? No. This wasn't any different at all. So, she looked straight at her friend and replied, "I have to take him his Paxil and I need you with me for moral support."

Penny's face then looked completely lost and she questioned her friend, "What's Paxil and what does it do?"

Niki looked at her friend in disbelief and replied, "Paxil is another name for paroxetine. It's an antidepressant. As an ex pharmaceutical sales rep, you should know that."

Penny laughed loudly and responded with a hearty, "Shit, Nik. When I quit that job, I forgot all about that stuff as quickly as I could. Besides, the last few years I was doing that I mostly peddled vaccines, vitamin and mineral supplements, and antibiotics. Say, I didn't know the Wackadoodle was depressed. A little weird, maybe. But not depressed."

Niki tried her hardest to remain calm as she explained, "Penny, he's not depressed. Sheldon doesn't take Paxil for depression. This medication is called an SSRI, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. What it does is balance out the chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced. Paxil is used to treat depression, sure. But it is also used to treat anxiety and OCD and other things, like PTSD."

Penny began to see the entire picture and inquired curiously, "Sheldon has anxiety problems?"

Niki headed into the dining room and threw over her shoulder, "Sort of. But they stem from his OCD."

Penny hustled to catch up with her and ask, "What's OCD?"

Niki sat down at the long table in the room and answered her friend, "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Do you remember, this is way before I came into the picture, when Sheldon used to have a thing about germs and touching people?"

Penny took a seat next to her, "Oh yeah! Amy kinda got him out of that."

Niki hastily corrected her, "No, not directly. But she did have something to do with it. At one point, he realized he wanted to get more physical with Amy, so he started therapy and was prescribed Paxil. He's been on it ever since. Sheldon and I couldn't have the amazing love life we have if he wasn't taking that medication."

Penny gave Niki a lascivious grin and told her, "I get that part, Nik. But why do we have to take him this stuff? Do you _want_ him touching other women?"

The taller woman gave a little laugh and replied, "Not hardly. It's just that that the symptoms of cold turkey withdrawal from this drug explain just about everything about his change of attitude towards me and everyone else since he's been in Germany."

Penny' full curiosity was now aroused and she leaned closer to Niki as she inquired, "Really? What are the symptoms?"

Niki then picked up the printout from earlier and began to read, "Here are just a few of them: Extreme confusion during waking hours, a feeling of existing outside of reality, memory or concentration problems, panic attacks, and, get this, severe mood swings, such as increased irritability, anger, and judgment issues."

Penny's hand flew to her mouth and her eyes went wide as she gasped, "Good grief, Nik! That explains why he's been such an asshat since he's been there. Leonard has been complaining about his attitude, too. So, what are we going to do?"

"Okay, here's the plan. Tomorrow morning, bright and early, I'm calling Sheldon's psychiatrist and explaining the situation. Hopefully, he will give me a written note, or call the airline, explaining why I have someone else's prescription bottle full of Paxil in my possession and why I'm taking it with me to another country. I hope it works."

"Girlfriend, you're the man's wife. That should make it okay."

Niki nodded, "That's what I'm counting on." She quickly added, "Now, are you with me or not?"

"Count me in, Sweetie."

Sheldon's wife glanced down at the list on the legal pad and continued, "Now, I've just got to call Mary and see if she can come with us."

Penny's grin was wide and bright as she informed Niki, "I beat you to it, girlfriend. She just came over to share some pictures with me of Alfred in France. I kinda told her what was up and asked her if she'd go with us and she damn near tripped over herself saying, yes! She's over at my place watching Blake right now."

Niki embraced her friend warmly, "Penny, where would I be without you?"

"Or me without you? It works both ways, you know. Since you've come into my life, I'm living my dream and acting, Leonard left Cal Tech and he now owns a part of this business, we've had Blake, and life is just better. Plus, you helped one of our best friends find true love again. Thanks, Nik."

"Thank you, too, Penny. You're the best friend I've ever had. You kept bugging me about how I should date Sheldon Cooper and look at me now. Nobel Prize, husband and child, and so much more. Now, go home and start packing. I'll call you tomorrow and let you know when we're leaving."

Penny rose from the couch and replied, "Got it. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Do you want me to send Mary over?"

"No, I'll see her tomorrow. Just tell her I said 'Hey, and Thank you'."

The pretty blonde gave a quick nod as she opened the door and walked out, "Will do. 'Bye, girl."

"Goodbye to you, too."

With that, Penny went back to her house to pack and Niki sat down, grabbed the handy legal pad, and began to plan.

 **Will this plan of Niki's go off without a hitch?** **And what about Dr. Powers?** **I don't think she's done with Sheldon just yet.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Good to Go

 **Will Niki be cleared to take Sheldon his meds?** **Will Leonard convince Sheldon to make it to his next lecture?** **This could get interesting.**

While Niki and Penny were busy dealing with the aftermath of Sheldon's little error in judgment, in Heidelberg Leonard Hofstadter was figuring out his next move concerning how to deal with Sheldon Cooper. It was late in the evening, close to an hour after Helmut had left their apartment, and Leonard was finding it difficult to convince his friend to continue with his lecture series.

After Leonard had filled his friend in on what had gone down with Helmut and how he had helped them, Leonard felt compelled to urge his friend to talk about his apparent reluctance to continue with his lecture series, "Sheldon, I can tell you aren't exactly thrilled with the idea of speaking tomorrow. I think I know why, but fill me in if you can."

The taller man gave a long sigh and turned away from his friend as he explained, "Leonard, by tomorrow afternoon word will most likely be out about what happened between me and Dr. Powers. I do not wish to subject myself to a room full of whispers and stares."

Leonard played with the water bottle in his hand and replied in an earnest voice, "Who's going to tell anyone anything? The only people who know what happened are me, you, and Helmut. I don't think any of us is going to be spilling the beans about this evening to anyone else."

Sheldon finally looked over at his friend, "Leonard, have you forgotten that Heather Powers was here also and that she has stated she will get her revenge for my refusal to have coitus with her and add her name to one of my papers?"

The smaller man's face fell and he groaned, "Oh yeah, I forgot about her. Look Sheldon, we have to fulfill our contractual obligations to the university. Remember, we both have that big dinner the school is throwing for the guest faculty next week. If either of us fails to show up for our lectures and that dinner, both Binary and our facility could face a very ugly lawsuit for breach of contract. I know it will be a bit awkward for you, but you've got to give your lecture tomorrow."

"I understand your concerns, Leonard. But can you kindly inform me as to how I am supposed to go into the room tomorrow and face a multitude of people who I am most certain have been speculating on the state of my marriage and love life? And may I add that their speculations will most likely not be flattering."

Leonard got up and went into the small kitchen where he retrieved a bottle of water for his friend, "I can tell you exactly how you are going to do it. You're going to do it with me by your side."

Sheldon gave his friend a puzzled look and asked, "But this was supposed to be a solo lecture from me. How will we explain your presence?"

Leonard took a swig of water and then grinned at his friend, "Very easily. The reason I came back to our apartment this afternoon was that my lecture had been cancelled for an emergency staff/student meeting. The university made me a vague promise to reschedule my talk for next week. Let's just announce that I chose to present with you at tomorrow's meeting so the lecture series would not be disrupted any more than it had to be by the cancellation."

Sheldon studied his water bottle for a minute and then questioned his friend, "But won't that upset everyone there? I am the one scheduled to speak. Some people may not like that you are there, also."

"C'mon, buddy, it's the same crowd that comes to mine. No sweat. And the school may actually appreciate that we helped them out. It's kinda hard to change the order of lectures, that just ends up confusing everyone."

Sheldon finally capitulated, "Very well, Leonard. You have made a valid point. We will spend tomorrow afternoon lecturing together. Wait, it is now past midnight. Let me make a correction. We will spend this afternoon lecturing together."

Leonard finished his water and threw the bottle into the recycling bin. He then got up from the couch and announced, "Now, let's both go to bed and get some rest. Trust me, Sheldon, there are more people on your side than you realize."

Sheldon looked very busy studying the pattern of the carpet as he answered, "I do hope you are correct in that assumption. Otherwise, I am doomed."

Leonard's patience finally reached its end and he decided it was time for some tough love. He turned to Sheldon and barked, "You're not doomed! Stop talking like that. You threw out a skank who made an uninvited play for you." He then continued in a much gentler tone, "Those kinds of things happen all the time. I remember one occasion where Penny had to throw a big movie star out of her dressing room for the same reasons. She was flattered that he wanted to see her backstage and she thought he wanted to suggest to her that they work together. To make a long story short, that's _not_ what he offered her. She got his ass out of there pdq. As you can see, Penny's career is still going strong."

At the end of Leonard's tale, Sheldon brightened visibly and smiled at his roommate, "Your words have given me faith that everything will turn out favorably for me, Leonard. You are a true friend, even after the way I have treated you since we have been here in Germany. All I can say is Thank You!"

"Hey, none of us are perfect. You've been a pretty good friend to me, also. You left your wife and child for an entire month and traveled all the way over here just to help my paper get some recognition. I think helping you out here is the least I can do."

Sheldon looked a bit hurt and felt compelled to remind him, "Leonard, have you forgotten? My name is on that paper, also."

Leonard's smile was wide and genuine and he told Sheldon, "Yeah, it is. But my name is listed first, as the prominent author. It makes a difference."

Sheldon slowly nodded and admitted, "I'll have to give you that. You don't know how many times that gravity nullification paper has been referred to as 'mine' when it was just as much Niki's and Koothrappali's."

Leonard reached out his hand to help his friend up from the couch, "Yep. So, are we back to being best friends and partners?"

Sheldon took the offered hand and was soon off the couch, "Always, Leonard. Of that, you can be sure."

"Now, as I said before, let's both go get us some sleep. Okay?" Leonard began to head towards the hallway and the bedrooms.

Sheldon joined him and left him at the doorway of his own room, "Of course. Good night, Leonard."

"Good night, Sheldon."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Niki Cooper got off the phone with Sheldon's doctor and breathed a sigh of relief. He had assured her that he would inform Lufthansa of her situation and that a hard copy note would not be necessary. It seemed spouses delivering forgotten meds to their wives or husbands happened more often than she had realized. Niki then went into the kitchen, made herself a relaxing cup of tea, and prepared herself for going online and purchasing both plane tickets and making hotel reservation for everyone in their party. Three adults and two children under two. Oh yeah, everyone on that particular flight was going to just be overjoyed when _they_ boarded the plane. But it had to be done and Niki, for all her faults, was a devoted mother who was not about to leave her child for several days in the care of others, even though they were people she both loved and trusted. She looked over at her daughter, happily playing on the floor and mentally blew her a kiss.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Penny's voice calling out to her from the yard, "Nik, got a minute?"

"Come on in, Penny!" she called back, "The door's unlocked."

Penny Hofstadter walked into the Cooper living room and addressed her friend, "Did everything go okay with Sheldon's doctor?"

Niki looked up from her tea and replied, "Yep. As far as the meds go, I've been cleared to take them to Germany. Dr. Soehmer was kind of surprised Sheldon forgot to take them with him. He does have that eidetic memory thing going on."

Penny blushed, spied Lori in the room and decided to keep her response safe for children, "Well, Leonard and I did kind of set him off that morning."

Niki shrugged, "I know, but still…anyway, the good doctor will inform the airline once I make our reservations."

Penny took a seat next to her friend on the couch, "Good. Look, I have to ask you something."

"What is it?"

Penny picked up a magazine from the coffee table in front of her and pretended to read it, "Is it all right if I tell Leonard we're coming? He mentioned something about some big dinner the university is holding for all their visiting staff. I don't want to mess that thing up for the guys."

Niki's face brightened and she exclaimed, "As usual Penny, great thinking! Yes, by all means, clear it with Leonard. Just make sure you make him promise to NOT tell Sheldon about our visit. I kinda want to surprise my husband by just showing up."

Penny put the magazine back and grabbed her friend by the arm, "Hey, I've got an idea, Nik!"

"What?"

Penny was almost jumping in her seat as she shared her thoughts, "Let's surprise them both by showing up at that dinner. I'm thinking they could both use a gorgeous woman on their arms."

Niki threw her friend a wry smile and informed her, "Speak for yourself, girlfriend. I'm not gorgeous."

At her friend's remark, Penny looked a bit confused and amused as well. She responded to it quickly with, "You haven't looked in a mirror lately, have you? You're not actress gorgeous, but your eyes are amazing and your complexion and hair are flawless. With your height and weight, well, you'd make a perfect model."

Niki gave a soft chuckle, "Penny, I'm a little long in the tooth to be a model."

"Sweetie, you have aged very well. You don't look a day past thirty-five."

Niki's eyes got a far-away look as she mused, "Whatever. I'm just kind of curious as to how I stack up against Dr. Heather Powers."

The pretty blonde reassured her friend with, "Rest easy, girl. Leonard showed me a picture of her. She's tall and thin, like you, but her eyes don't have the sparkle yours do. She's got very sharp features and doesn't have freckles like you do. God, Sheldon always goes on and on about your freckles."

"Yeah, he's told me my freckles were the first thing that attracted him to me. I don't know why."

Penny shook her head disbelievingly "They're cute, that's why. They're in just the right place on your face, just a few on your cheeks and the bridge of your nose. They make you look kinda impish, without being too much. I mean, your face isn't covered with them or anything. They're just part of you and Sheldon loves them. Look, you're prettier than Powers, if that means anything to you."

"I guess."

Penny sighed and continued, "Look, to Sheldon, you are the most beautiful woman in the world. God knows he tells Leonard that all the time."

Niki looked over at her friend in shock, "He does?" she squealed.

"Yep. When Sheldon is in love, he doesn't see anyone but the object of his affections. That's why I believe he saw that Powers woman as just another scientist he could talk to. Nothing more."

Niki hastily explained her reaction, "I get _that_. I just never knew Sheldon told other people I was beautiful."

Penny threw her friend a look of exasperation she usually saved for Sheldon, "Nik, the man's batting waay outta his league and he knows it. Let's just say most of the time he appreciates it. Leonard was just telling me the other day…"

Niki cut her off with, "I don't believe in 'leagues', Penny. Sheldon and I are a good match. Like you and Leonard, we just fit together very well. I understand him and he understands me. Plus…"

"The sex is good?"

Niki frowned, looked over at her daughter, and vaguely replied, "Yeah, something like that."

Penny gave a hearty laugh and rose from her seat on the couch, "Anyway, I've gotta go home. I've got Bernie over and she's watching Blake for me."

Niki got up as well and began to walk her friend to the door, "Okay, girl. I'll call you with all the info when I've made our reservations. Oh, when is that dinner?"

Penny quickly checked the calendar on her phone, "Let's see…February nineteenth, just before they leave for home. So, in a week from now."

Niki thought for a moment and then asked, "Gotcha. Hmmm…I want to get Sheldon's meds to him asap. Do you think we could stay for a few days over there?"

"I don't see why not. I've got permission from the producers to Skype my rehearsals in. They've had a booking problem with some rock concert or another, so the opening night's been delayed another week. That works in our favor."

"Yep, it sure does. Okay, go back to Bernie and Blake and I'll call you when everything is settled."

Penny walked out the door and then stopped and turned to ask, "Okay. And Nic?"

"Yeah?"

"This is going to be so much fun!"

Niki leaned against the doorframe and replied, "I sure hope so, Penny. I sure hope so."

 **Will everything go off without a hitch?** **Well, since I'm the author of this story, I would rather doubt it.** **What could go wrong?** **Wait and see.**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Calculations

 **Heather Powers has a plan, and it doesn't bode well for Sheldon.**

Dr. Powers sat in her living room the morning after the fiasco with Sheldon Cooper. She stared into her cup of coffee and thought to herself: Where had it all gone wrong? She could usually read men like a book and that man had given off the vibe of lonely and needing female companionship quite strongly. Had he changed his mind because of Leonard Hofstadter bursting into the room? No. Even her enormous ego would not let her believe that. She knew Sheldon had not been responding to her kiss even before the roommate had found them. The question remained, what had gone wrong? She knew Sheldon hadn't spurned her because of any feelings for his wife, though he might have tried to convince himself of that very thing. Heather had no doubts about Cooper's feelings for his spouse, she was sure he loved Niki Cooper very much. No, the answer lay elsewhere. Most men separated sex from love quite easily and maybe Sheldon had believed he could do that until the moment came when she kissed him. That conjecture only increased her interest in him and that went against all her rules. Heather Powers NEVER got emotionally involved with her targets, ever. Still, here she was, mooning like a small child over a piece of candy she couldn't have.

She gazed out the window and thought of all the conquests in her past. They were all quite impressive. Heather Powers did not play in the minor leagues, oh no, she only bothered to seduce best and the brightest from the scientific community. She had bagged a couple of Nobel winners, a few men on the Nobel Committee, and physicists and astronomers with powerful connections. She had few, if any, regrets about her past. In fact, she took quite a bit of pride in it.

She remembered the summer she had met her best friend, Cari Irving. They had both recently been awarded their Doctorates. She in Astronomy and Cari in Applied Physics. Neither of them had stood out in their graduating class. The best thing that could have been said about either of them was that they were both mediocre students. However, they both excelled at the art of seduction. It had been Cari's exceptional aptitude for hanky panky of the oral variety that had landed Heather's bestie her current job. It seems Hawking's right-hand man greatly appreciated Cari's attentions and secured her the position of transcriptionist for the famed physicist.

Heather had taken a different route. Her specialty had been kinky sex and lots of it. There had never been a man she could not make cry loudly for his mama and then offer her the world…until Sheldon Cooper. Even the head of the science department at the University of Chicago had fallen under her spell and had given her the position she now held as a tenured professor of Astrophysics. The only problem was, getting published. Heather had never been an innovative thinker and developing original theories to research had never been her strong point. So, she had latched on to brilliant men, literally, and had managed to have herself named as co-author on several papers she had never contributed to in any way, shape, or form. To have successfully seduced Dr. Sheldon Cooper would have been a prime feather in her cap, and to be named as a contributor on one of his papers would have set her up for life professionally. But alas, he had been completely unresponsive to her efforts, so now she would have to find a way to reach her goal by some other means.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a call coming in on her phone. As luck would have it, it was Cari Irving, calling to get all the dirt about the previous evening's events.

 _Hello, Cari._ _I take it you are calling to inquire about my evening with Dr. Cooper._

 _What else?_ _I know you've been setting him up for the kill for a bit now._ _How'd it go?_ _Did he plead for mercy like all the others?_

 _Not quite._ _He was disinterested in all of my efforts._

 _What?_ _Does the guy bat for the other team, dearie?_ _I've never heard of a man ever turning you down for what you do best._

 _No, Cari, Dr. Cooper is quite straight._ _Married with a kid, in fact._

 _That doesn't mean anything._ _I could tell you a couple of really juicy stories about that._

 _No._ _I can tell when a man is of the gay persuasion._ _This guy is completely hetero, trust me._

 _Then what gives?_

 _I have no idea._ _Hey, I tried my best, and nothing._ _I've got to get what I want another way and I'll need your help._

 _What can I do?_

 _First, you can start a rumor at Oxford that your good friend, Heather Powers, has been having an affair with Dr. Cooper for some time now._

 _And then?_

 _Come over here in a few days and spread that same tasty morsel of gossip._

 _And who is going to be paying for this?_

 _Relax, Cari, I will._ _Now, can you do that?_

 _Sure._ _I mean, everyone knows you and how you operate._ _I won't have any trouble getting people to believe it._

 _Good._ _I will make Dr. Sheldon Cooper pay for this if it's the last thing I do._

 _Honey, I love it when you get evil. Remember how you played that guy from Cal Tech, what was his name again?_

 _Kripke, Barry Kripke._

 _Yeah._ _Well remember how you got him to get you that summer position at Stanford?_ _That was pure genius!_

 _Yep._ _Who knew he had, shall we say, problems in certain areas._ _He certainly had to pay through the nose to keep me quite about that little tidbit of information._ _ED in a Ph.D. with a lisp is almost laughable._

 _You played that one well._ _It was one of your better scores._

 _Yes._ _And one I pray I will never have to repeat._ _I can still hear him saying, 'I nevuh had pwobwems with getting an ewection befow'._ _God, spare me from ever going through that again!_

 _I still get a laugh over that one._

 _Yeah, well you didn't have to sleep with the guy._ _You wouldn't be laughing if you had._

 _Look, Heather._ _I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have a 'visitor' coming in a couple of minutes and I want to freshen up._ _If you know what I mean._

 _What's the price this time?_

 _A nice little deposit in my bank account._ _Neither one of us is getting any younger, honey._ _We've got to get what we can before nobody wants us anymore, or until we land us a rich husband, anyway._

 _Cari, you're a girl after my own heart._ _Have fun and make sure you get here in about four days._ _That will give you at least a couple of days to do your dirty work._

 _Gotcha._ _Gotta go._ _I'll call you tomorrow, okay?_

 _You'd better._ _For now, think of some people to 'accidentally' slip up to and tell the secret of my affair with Dr. Cooper._

 _Will do, Heather._ _Talk to you later, 'bye._

 _Goodbye._

As Heather Powers ended the call, an evil grin began to spread itself across her face.

 **These two ladies, and I use the term loosely, are not very nice.** **Will their nasty little plan work or will the forces of good prevail?**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: With a Little Help From My Friends

 **Our girl Niki is making some plans of her own, with the help of Binary, LLC.**

While Heather was plotting her revenge, Niki was busy plotting her trip to Germany. She checked several online travel sites and was busy comparing airline prices and hotel accommodations when her phone announce loudly that she had an incoming call. Startled, she hesitated to answer and then saw it came from Marcus Benson, Binary's chief attorney. Her nerves immediately settled, she answered with, _Hey, Marcus!_ _Long time, no hear._ _What's up?_

 _Niki, Binary has told me that you are thinking of going to Heidelberg to visit your husband._

 _Yeah, so what?_ _Are you telling me I can't?_

 _No, Niki._ _Not at all._ _Binary loves both you and Sheldon and sincerely appreciates all the hard work you are all doing at your place._

 _That Nobel Prize didn't hurt our reputation, did it?_

 _It helped Binary's as well._ _They are truly thankful for all the prestige you have given them in certain circles. Now, on to the reason for my call._ _Niki, they have informed me that I am to immediately put one of our private jets at your disposal._ _We can't have a Nobel winner flying commercially with her child, that wouldn't be right._

 _You had Sheldon and Leonard take a regular flight._

 _No, we didn't._ _They both insisted on flying Lufthansa._ _What can I say?_ _Geniuses are often a bit strange, present company excluded, of course._

 _Thank you, Marc._ _But I think you should know that I am taking my best friend, her son, and my mother-in-law with me._ _So, does that offer still stand?_

 _Our planes all sit up to thirty people comfortably._ _A party of five should pose no problem, whatsoever._ _Just let me know what films the children would love to see._ _It's a long flight and it will go so much smoother if they are both happily entertained._ _Also, Binary has booked your party for the week in the Arthotel Heidelberg._ _It is a most unique, four-star hotel located very close to the university._ _It will make it quite easy for Leonard and Sheldon to stay with you without missing any of their lectures._

 _All right._ _I'll take Binary up on their generous offer. Oh, please stock the jet with plenty of sushi, non-alcoholic champagne, a nice, dry Riesling, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and apple juice._ _As far as films go, anything by Disney and Pixar would be great._ _Maybe some of the classics like Toy Story and Up._ _Oh, make the hotel rooms suites._ _We do have the kids with us and they will both need their own bedrooms._

 _Anything you desire, Niki._ _Your wish is their command._ _You will find a large assortment of films for the children's viewing pleasure and a well-stocked galley on the jet and Master Suites in the hotel._ _Now, when would you like to depart?_ _They can have the plane fueled and ready at LAX any time after noon tomorrow._

 _How about five p.m.?_ _That would let us get a nap into the kids and also have them sleep for the second half of the trip._

 _The plane will be at your party's disposal at five._ _Go to Binary's private gate._ _It's located in the international terminal._ _Just ask at the front desk, they will be expecting you._

 _Thanks so much, Marc._ _We'll try and be there by four._

 _Don't thank me, thank Binary._ _You and your people have more than earned this._ _Now, I must bid you goodnight as I have company coming._

 _Let me guess, I'll bet she's blonde, busty, and half your age._

 _Your intuition is most astute, Niki._

 _Go for it, my friend._ _As they say, YOLO._

 _Yes._ _Well, have a good trip and say 'Hi' to Sheldon and Leonard for me._

 _Will do._ _Goodnight, Marcus._

 _Goodnight, Nikita._

Niki sat for quite a long time, pondering the conversation that had just taken place. She had never considered how much that Nobel Prize had meant to their business partners. She had just assumed they had been pleased by their investment in Pentagram and would continue their partnership with the Coopers and the rest of their group. She had never considered that they were now valued partners in a very big, very powerful, and very global, organization. The very idea that she could summon a private jet at her bidding made her head spin. She always thought of herself as plain old Niki Cooper. Mother of Lori, wife of Sheldon, and best friend of Penny Hofstadter. She suddenly realized the world viewed her as something else, entirely. To them, she was Dr. Nikita Horner; Nobel Prize winner in Physics and wife of a very famous physicist, Dr. Sheldon Cooper. She didn't entirely agree with that view, it disturbed her. She much preferred being Niki Cooper. It was far simpler.

She had learned that from Penny, who had one time told her, _Nik, the big secret to fame and success is to not let your public image become the real you._ _When I'm acting, I'm Penelope Hofstadter, a well-known actress who gets written up in People Magazine from time to time._ _But that's not the real me._ _I'm really just plain old Penny from the front house who spends most of her time when not being Penelope, running around after a toddler and debating potty training tips with one of her best friends, Niki Cooper._ _That's the REAL me._ _Whatever you do, Sweetie, don't let fame change who you REALLY are._

Niki gave a long sigh and decided that, just this once, she would take advantage of the trappings of fame. Not having to subject the children to a long, boring, flight which was almost certain to seem interminable to everyone involved, she had taken Marcus up on Binary's offer of the private jet. She had seen pictures of some of their jets and she now visualized the children sitting comfortably in a living room type setting watching one of their favorite movies and eating some of their favorite 'only once in a while' foods. She contrasted that picture with one of the children crying, refusing to eat, and kicking the seat in front of them and driving everyone crazy. Yes, she nodded to herself, for both the children and the adults she would agree to make use of everything Binary offered them.

Her mind made up, Niki grabbed her phone and called Penny. She was excited to tell her the latest developments regarding their trip to Germany. She also wanted to give her a heads up that they all had to be ready to leave for the airport the next day at two in the afternoon. Her bestie, as Penny like to call herself, answered on the third ring.

 _Nik?_ _What's up?_ _Have you made your reservations?_

 _Well, sort of._ _Guess what?_

 _I give._ _What?_

 _Binary has booked us one of their private jets for our little trip, complete with food, drinks, and entertainment for all of us._

 _You're not joking, are you._

 _Nope._ _It seems our good friends at Binary think my hubby and I are a pretty big deal._

 _Well, you are._ _In certain circles, it's like you won an Oscar._

 _Yeah, I get that._ _Still, I don't think of it that way._

 _Look Sweetie, do what I do._ _Just consider yourself an ordinary person who does extraordinary things._

 _Like fly halfway around the world to give my husband his shaving kit?_

 _Among other things, yeah._

 _Oooookaaay._ _Anyway, can you, Mary, and Blake be ready to leave for the airport tomorrow at two?_

 _Do we have a choice?_

 _Not if you want to go along with me._

 _Hey, we'll be ready, don't worry._ _I wouldn't miss this one for the world._

 _Good._ _I don't know whether to be relieved, excited, or worried about what you just said._

 _Nik, just go with the flow._ _You science geeks think too much._

 _Maybe you're right in this instance._ _Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow at two, girlfriend._

 _Don't worry, Sweetie._ _This trip will be a blast!_

 _Or it could blow up in my face._

 _Sweetie…remember what I just said about thinking too much?_

 _Yeah, I know._ _I'll stop._ _I know, I'll just concentrate on all the fun we'll have on the way there._ _Girl, we have to make it to Paris to shop one day._ _I know some little boutiques with clothes to die for._

 _Gotcha._ _That's one of the days we'll leave the kids with the guys and have ourselves a ball!_

 _Yep._ _Look, I've got to start packing and confirm the hotel reservations that Binary made._ _So, bye for now._

 _'_ _Bye, Nik._ _I'll see you tomorrow._

Niki put down her phone and stared out the window, a mixture of excitement and dread filling her thoughts. She suddenly turned her head as she heard Lori begin to wake from her nap. She quickly put Dr. Nikita Horner, famous physicist, aside and switched gears to become, once more, Niki Cooper, toddler mom.

 **Well, it looks like both these little families will soon be reunited.** **How sweet.** **Maybe.**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Just When You Think the Coast is Clear…

 **Penny tells Leonard about the trip to Germany.** **What do you think his reaction will be?**

Leonard Hofstadter was awakened from a deep sleep by the jangling tones of his phone. He sleepily answered, hoping it wasn't bad news about any of his family or friends. Phone calls in the middle of the night often contained such announcements. He put on his glasses and checked the screen. It was from his wife. His heart began to race wildly as he answered the call.

 _Penny?_ _Why are you calling me at this hour?_ _Is everything okay?_

 _Oh, I'm sorry Leonard._ _I forgot about the time difference._ _I just have some good news to share with you and I didn't think that it was the middle of the night where you are._ _Sorry._ _I'll let you get back to sleep._

 _Penny, now that you woke me up, just tell me your good news._

 _Are you sitting down?_

 _Penny, I'm in bed._ _I can assure you I won't fall to the floor in shock._ _So, go on, tell me._

 _Okay._ _Tomorrow afternoon, Niki, Blake, Mary and I are leaving here to join you guys in Heidelberg!_

 _What?_ _That's wonderful news!_ _Are you sure the kids will be okay traveling that far on a plane?_

 _Sure._ _Get this, Leonard…Binary is lending us one of their private jets for this trip._ _There'll be plenty of room on board for Blake and Lori to play, watch videos, eat, and nap._

 _Why is Binary doing this?_

 _Because Niki was going to come anyway and she wouldn't go without Lori, Blake, and me._ _Mary is coming along to visit Alfred in France and watch the kids for us once in a while._ _Binary wanted to protect one half of their prize scientific team, would be my guess._

 _Penny?_

 _What?_

 _Why is Niki wanting to come here?_ _Sheldon and I will be home in a little over a week._ _She couldn't wait that long or something?_

 _She's bringing Sheldon something he forgot._ _I can't tell you what it is, but it's important._

 _Okay, I got that._ _Should I tell Sheldon you guys are coming?_

 _No._ _Nik said to keep it a secret from Sheldon._ _She wants to surprise him._

 _Oh, he'll be surprised, all right._ _When will you be here, exactly?_

 _Between eleven and twelve on Thursday._

 _But we're both scheduled for one of our joint lectures at one on Thursday._ _We can't meet you at the airport, which is quite some ways from here._

 _Maybe we could call a cab?_

 _For three adults and two small children?_ _Good luck._ _Look, I've got an idea._ _I'll have someone meet you there, okay?_

 _Do you trust them?_

 _After the other day?_ _Yeah, completely._

 _Who is it?_ _And what happened the other day?_

 _It doesn't matter, you don't know them anyway._ _Just know they will bring you here safely._

 _If you say so, Leonard._ _How will we know them?_

 _They have seen your pictures._ _They'll know you._ _Don't worry about it._ _Besides, how can anyone miss two beautiful women with small children in tow and a woman who will most likely be passing out Bible tracts?_

 _I get that, but you're asking me for a whole lotta trust this whole idea._

 _Isn't that what marriage is all about?_ _Trust?_

 _You're right, Sweetie._ _I do trust you completely._ _I'll text you when we land._

 _Good._ _Oh, don't worry._ _I won't breathe a word to Sheldon._

 _Okay, well, I'll let you get back to sleep._

 _As if I could sleep after this phone call._ _You don't know how much I've missed you and Blake._

 _As much as we've missed you?_

 _Maybe even more._

 _Nope._ _Not possible._

 _Look, I've got to try to get some sleep and you've got to get packing for this trip._ _Oh, bring a very nice dress._ _Remember, they're holding that fancy dinner for us in a few days._

 _I haven't forgotten._ _Niki and I will both be looking like the goddesses we are._

 _That will give me and Sheldon a chance to show off our lovely wives._

 _You could get lucky when I get there if you keep talking like that._

 _Hey, I'm counting on it._

 _Me, too._ _Goodnight, Sweetie._

 _Goodnight, Honey._

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next afternoon, our two intrepid physicists took the elevator in their building down to the first floor, where the lecture hall was maintained. Leonard looked over at his friend and deducted that Sheldon was more than a little nervous. He searched his brain for something that would ease the tension in his friend's face. He almost decided to spill the beans about their families coming to see them, but remembered he had promised Penny he wouldn't tell Sheldon. _Damn!_ He thought to himself in frustration. _What else can I use to lighten the mood?_ An idea suddenly came to him. "Sheldon?" he asked his friend, "what's the first thing you're going to do when you get home?"

Sheldon Cooper turned to his friend and gave him an annoyed look, "Leonard," he sighed as if speaking to a child, "I will most likely kiss my wife and child and then take a shower. God knows how many germs we will pick up on the airplane."

Leonard was taken aback, he had not heard Sheldon voice those kinds of thoughts in many years. In fact, he couldn't pinpoint exactly when the last time was that he had heard his business partner go on about germs. That was odd, indeed. He quickly remembered that he was attempting to cheer Sheldon up, and he replied, "Of course, buddy, but I was talking about after the kisses."

"No, you weren't. I distinctly recall you asking me what was the _first_ thing I was going to do. So, as I said before, I will kiss Niki and Lori. Really, Leonard. You should be more thoughtful with your speech."

Leonard stopped and stared at the door marked Conference Room and gave a protracted sigh. "Sorry, buddy," he muttered, "my bad. Well, are you ready for this?"

Sheldon rolled his eyes and answered him with a testy, "Well if you'd open the door, we would soon find out, wouldn't we?"

Leonard pasted on a smile he was far from feeling and opened the door a crack, then hastily closed it. He had not been able to believe his eyes. Sitting front and center, smiling like the cat that had eaten the canary, was Dr. Heather Powers. One huge thought thundered through his mind, _Great, just great!_ _I didn't think she would have the nerve to show her face here today._ _It seems I underestimated her._ _Now, what do I tell Sheldon?_ _Neither of us knows how Binary will react if they believe Sheldon had something going on with this woman._ _Will they pull out of their investment in Pentagram?_ _Will they cancel all of those lucrative government contracts that we're working on?_ Leonard had no idea how Binary would feel about the situation, but seeing Heather Powers in the front row was causing him more than a little distress. He checked the inner pocket of his jacket and reassuringly patted his inhaler. If he had an asthma attack over this, he would at least have some relief at hand.

Sheldon grew impatient with his friend's reluctance to proceed and barged past him into the room and up to the lectern, where he looked out at the assembled audience and froze in fear. Leonard stood outside the door repeating to himself; _Shit, shit, shit!_ _Now what?_

 **Now what, indeed.**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Never Underestimate a Genius

 **Has Sheldon fallen into another of Heather Powers' traps?** **Guess again.**

Sheldon stood frozen at the front of the crowd, his mind racing. _Dear lord, what do I do now?_ _I never believed for an instant that wretched woman would have the gall to attend this lecture._ _Do I ignore her?_ _Confront her?_ _Leave?_ _What is the right thing to do in this situation?_ _If only I possessed the social aptitude of either Niki or Penny, then I would know how to proceed._ _Wait, I have known both of those women for several years, maybe it will be easy to channel both these fine ladies and put Ms. Powers on guard._ _What would Niki or Penny do?_ _I've got it!_ _I think I know now how to handle this situation._

Sheldon stood up straight, surveyed the group in front of him, and began to speak. "Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper and I am here to lecture you on my paper regarding gravity nullification in Black Holes. I'm sure most of you have read this work and it needs no lengthy introduction, nor do I. What I do need to make clear is that this paper was very much a group effort. Some fellow scientists," here he looked directly at Heather Powers, "have had the mistaken idea that this was 'my' paper. Let me set the record straight here and now. It took the work of myself, Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali, and my beloved wife, Dr. Nikita Horner to complete and prove our theory. Of course, my esteemed colleague here," he pointed directly at Leonard who was now standing next to him, "Dr. Leonard Hofstadter, helped greatly with those proofs, for no professional recognition, whatsoever. That is so Leonard. He is very much a true friend and it has been proven on multiple occasions he will do anything within reason to help me if the need arises. This has been proven time and time again. Now, I must add that Drs. Koothrappali and Horner are two of the most brilliant physicists I have ever had the pleasure of working with on any project. They are both highly intelligent, committed, and resourceful colleagues of mine and I owe that Nobel Prize you have no doubt heard about, to all three of these exceptional scientists."

"Now, with that out of the way, I want to point out some of the visiting professors here today. I am honored to have so many prominent men and women in the field of physics attending this lecture. Sitting directly in front of me is Dr. Spiel, a distinguished professor from this very university. I do believe we met when my team bested yours at the International Physics Bowl at Cal Tech a few years ago.* _The Assistant Conundrum, Chapter 50._ Now don't frown, it was a glorious day. My team wiped the floor with yours from Cal Tech. That was, indeed, fun. I'm just kidding, Dr. Spiel. Your team offered us some stern competition and we had to perform at our absolute best to win that contest. If I remember correctly, you did seem to greatly appreciate the physical attributes of Dr. Koothrappali's wife, Dr. Amanda Sawyer, so that little distraction most definitely helped us." _*The Assistant Conundrum: Chapter 50_

Sheldon grinned and continued, "That being said, I must apologize for being a bit self-centered when I have given these presentations. Throughout this entire lecture series, I have been remiss not to recognize some of more brilliant minds seated among us. Besides Dr. Spiel, one such person is someone I have spent much time conversing with and have found their mind to be both quick and deep. Dr. Heather Powers, it is so good to see you here. Never in my professional career have I met a scientist with a mind like yours. In fact, so impressed was I by your knowledge of the ins and outs of physics and other areas that I would love you to come up here and present with me. Ladies and gentlemen, you are in for a treat that's hard to beat. Dr. Powers' mind is quite unique and I would love to show you all just how far her knowledge of this subject matter goes. Dr. Powers, would you kindly come up here and join me?"

Heather Powers' face froze in panic at Sheldon's invitation. She now realized that Dr. Sheldon Cooper was every bit as cunning and devious as she was and the thought sickened her. What did he have planned? She was quite cognizant of the fact that Sheldon Cooper knew her knowledge of physics, and science in general, was rudimentary at best. Heather now felt like the prey instead of the hunter and it was a feeling that was deeply unsettling to her.

Heather's face turned white and began to show beads of sweat. She had secured her degrees and position through other methods besides intense study and application, which she now knew Sheldon must have discovered. So. this was going to be his revenge, to reveal her inadequacies to this room full of prominent scientists from around the world. Many of them here had been played by her, too many to count, actually. Heather knew they would relish in the unveiling of her ineptitude. She swallowed hard, and replied to Sheldon's request with, "Dr. Cooper, I have no desire to steal the spotlight from you. Please continue as you were."

Sheldon used the same smirk he had seen his wife use countless times and replied with what appeared to be a sense of regret, "Very well, Dr. Powers, but I may be asking you some questions about this theory from time to time. One doesn't get to be an educator of your stature without possessing strong skills in mathematics and science, among other things." He then threw Heather a naughty wink, much like Penny did when disarming her detractors, which caused the woman no small amount of panic.

Heather's mind began to race; _How am I supposed to blackmail him when he's damn near advertising the fact that we've been close?_ _And nothing actually happened!_ _The bastard is trying to enhance his reputation by insinuating we have been lovers._ _How dare he?_ _That is MY agenda, not his_.

Sheldon appeared happily oblivious to her angst and continued with, "We are all familiar with the work of Podkletnov, are we not? His work is the backbone of my group's gravity nullification theory. Dr. Powers, perhaps you could explain this more in depth for any of the students in this room who may be unfamiliar with Podkletnov's work."

Heather looked quickly at her watch and responded with what she hoped was a convincing note of sincerity, "I would love to, Dr. Cooper, but I have just realized that I have friends waiting for me at a local restaurant. I do hope you don't mind."

Sheldon purred his reply to her, "I completely understand, Dr. Powers. If I was in your position, I would hurry to that restaurant, myself." The room was filled by amused chuckles when Dr. Powers, as Sheldon had assumed she would, fled the room hastily. He watched her leave and then turned once again to his audience and continued with, "So sorry for that. The dear woman must have had a most pressing engagement. But enough of that, let us get back to Podkletnov and his theory…"

Two hours later, both physicists were wrapping up their lectures and breathing a sigh of relief that a messy situation hand been handled well and a catastrophe had been, thankfully, avoided.

Leonard Hofstadter turned to his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Buddy, that was handled really well. Where did you pull that attitude from? It worked like a charm."

"Leonard, I have spent the last several years being friends with your wife. I have also been in an intimate relationship with one of your wife's best friends for some time now. The talents for social castigation shared between the two of them were bound to rub off on me sooner or later. I merely combined the amazing social skills of Penny with the sarcastic wit of my wife. After that, everything went quite smoothly."

Leonard busied himself with collecting his notes, then nodded and responded with, "Have you ever noticed how our better halves can use their minds to get themselves out of any uncomfortable situation?"

Sheldon picked up his briefcase, gave a small chortle, and took his friend for a walk down Memory Lane, "Leonard, do you remember that Christmas Eve, three years ago? Both of our little ladies used both their brains and some deft martial arts movements to get themselves out of that messy encounter with those two drunk morons at the club we visited." _*The Assistant Conundrum, Chapter 47_

"How could I forget? Those self-defense classes they took with Bernie sure paid off that night. Seeing those two idiots laying on the floor begging for mercy was the highlight of the night."

Sheldon's head swiveled around sharply and he gently chided Leonard with, "Oh, really? I seem to recall that was the night Penny informed you she was pregnant with your son."

The smaller man's face broke into a wide grin and he replied to his friend's reminder with, "I haven't forgotten about that, Sheldon. I was merely making a point with that memory." To himself, he thought; _I sure wish I hadn't promised Penny not to spill the beans about them all coming here tomorrow._ _I'm dying to tell Sheldon._ _He's missed Niki and Lori so much._ _Oh well, we'll be seeing all of them within twenty-four hours._ Out loud he continued, "That was a night I'll never forget. That was also the night Raj proposed to Amanda. Remember that?"

Sheldon shook his head sadly and reminded his friend, "Leonard, have you forgotten that I remember everything? It was a surprise though, after Raj assuring us he wasn't ready to propose yet."

"Well, when he bought that ring at the jeweler's, I think we all knew what was coming."

The taller man gave a small chuckle and added with an amused, "Yes, we did. He also beat me to the altar."

Leonard thought back and gave a wry grin, "Yeah, that wedding of his was something else."

"With Priya showing up? It was a true circus." Sheldon then felt compelled to brag a little bit about his wife, "Come to think of it, that was another instance when Niki's sharp mind and quick thinking saved the day."

"You got that right. You married a pretty amazing lady, Buddy."

Sheldon did not dispute this statement and added, "We both did, Leonard. This next week will go by so slowly until we can fly home and see them again, and our children, too!"

Leonard bit his lip and fought the strong urge to let his best friend know about their wives coming the very next day. When he finally spoke, he simply said, "Yeah, I can't wait to see them, myself. Trust me, the time will fly."

With that, the two men gathered their belongings and headed back upstairs to their apartment.

 **Will the girls get to Germany safely?** **Will Sheldon be surprised?** **Will Heather try another plan for revenge?** **What do you think?**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: In Flight Adventures, or Getting There is Half the Fun

 **Ahh, a nice, relaxing flight to Germany.** **Or not.**

Late the next afternoon, Niki's group arrived at the airport, parked the car in the long-term lot, and headed directly to the International Terminal. Both ladies were pulling a large piece of rolling luggage behind them while pushing a stroller holding a sleeping toddler at the same time. Mary Cooper was also busy, dealing with her own luggage while texting her husband. All the women were busy multi-tasking while trying to negotiate the foot traffic in the expansive room. Niki scanned the area, searching vainly for Binary's counter, which seemed hidden among all the other kiosks. Suddenly, Penny squealed, "There it is, guys! Ahead on the left!"

Niki looked over quickly at her friend and responded worriedly, "I hope Marcus remembered to leave our names and reservations there. He might have gotten busy and forgot."

Penny scolded her, "Stop obsessing so much, Nik! Even if he did, all it would take is one short phone call and everything would be fine."

"Yeah, I know. Sometimes it slips my mind that most problems in life have a simple answer."

Penny grinned and teased her friend, "Like Sheldon?"

Niki turned to her friend and shot back, "Penny, Sheldon is NOT a problem. Sometimes the situations he gets us both into can be problems, but he never is."

Mary joined in gleefully, "Like that time he had you pick me up from the airport? Young lady, you sure were hoppin'mad at him that night!" _The Assistant Conundrum, Chapter 19_

Niki turned to her mother-in-law and shot back, "Hey, I was nicely compensated for that one!"

Penny gave a short laugh and responded with, "Uh huh. After you and Mary got your revenge."

Niki's worried mood completely evaporated and she, too, gave a good-natured laugh, "Oh god, that was hilarious! Thanks for the reminder. Now, if this situation goes as smoothly as that one, this should be a fun trip. I mean, what could go wrong?"

The pretty blonde winked at her friend and declared, "Girlfriend, we're talking about Sheldon Cooper. The possibilities are endless."

Niki threw daggers at her friend, "Thanks, girl. I was just starting to relax."

Mary turned to Penny and snapped, "Hey, that's my son you're talkin' about there, missy."

Penny turned a bright shade of red and quickly apologized, "Just kidding. Your son is one of my best friends and he's done a lot for me and Leonard. I'm sorry I said that."

Niki threw Penny a feeble grin and shot back, "Apology accepted, but there is a grain of truth in what you said. Isn't that right, Mary?"

Mary Cooper put down her phone and gave a sigh, "I guess I've got to admit it, Shelly can be a handful sometimes."

Penny gave a dreamy look and told both of her companions, "Enough about Sheldon being a handful. Look, try not to think too much about what might happen, Nik. I'm sure everything will be fine. Let's just enjoy our trip, okay. Just think ladies, in just a few short hours, we'll actually be in Europe and back in the arms of our ever-lovin' husbands!"

Suddenly, Lori woke up, smiled, and asked from her stroller, "DaDa?"

Niki looked down fondly at her daughter and crooned, "Yes, love. We're going to see DaDa. Won't that be fun?"

The little girl's face lit up and she asked, "We go to the zoo?"

Niki pondered that question for a moment then responded with, "I don't know about that, but I do know he'll most likely get you some ice cream and a new princess dress."

"I love DaDa!" the little girl squealed happily.

Niki stared over at the Binary counter as if in a trance and replied, "So do I, Precious. So do I."

Niki's fears were soon found to be completely groundless. Not only were all their names prominently listed, they were given the star treatment and personally escorted down the concourse to Binary's private gate. There, all their mouths dropped in awe as they viewed the corporate jet they would soon be boarding. No small or midsize Learjet awaited them. Instead, what they saw parked, fueled, and ready was a huge Boeing business jet. The size of a regular passenger plane, this one had been redesigned by Binary as a private jet of the first order.

As they entered they were struck speechless by the luxury that awaited them. There were the usual rows of seats in the forward cabin, much like any other jet, but what was unique lay beyond that. There, they were told by the flight attendant, they would find a spacious living room with an attached full galley, a large dining room with a table that would easily seat twenty people, two full bedroom suites, and a private nursery for the children. Niki had never seen such opulence, and she had flown on many a private jet with her late husband when he had been called to the east coast or up to Canada. This set up was beyond opulent and for the first time, she began to understand the prestige that came with being a Nobel Prize winner. She turned to her companions and gushed, "Can you believe all this?"

Mary had taken it all in rather calmly and replied, "Well, you _are_ Sheldon Cooper's wife. That must mean somethin', I guess."

Niki took no offense at the unintentional slight and giggled, "Let's not forget, you're Sheldon Cooper's mama. That's makes you a VIP, too."

"What about me?" Penny asked, "am I chopped liver or something?"

Niki grabbed her friend and gave her a hug as she squealed, "Hey, you and your husband are Sheldon Cooper's two best friends! He wouldn't be where he is today without the both of you."

A little voice broke into their reverie with, "I DaDa's Princess! I 'portant, too!"

With that, Niki unbuckled the straps on the stroller and scooped her daughter up in her arms as they all laughed and began to settle in, readying themselves for the coming flight.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

After the adults in their party had safely secured the children in the car seats, now airplane seats, they settled themselves in for the flight. Niki was next to Lori, Penny sat alongside Blake, and Mary parked herself in the last row of seats, getting one last text off to Alfred before calling out, "Well, everyone, here we go!" With that, the plane thundered down the runway, picking up speed as it went. Niki had her nose pinned against the window, as usual, entranced by the passing by of familiar buildings at ever increasing speeds. Her fascination with flight was suddenly interrupted by a small hand creeping into hers and squeezing one of her fingers tightly. A small whimper escaped from the little girl's lips when the plane left the runway and that is when she had reached for her mother's hand.

Niki looked down tenderly at her daughter and thought, _Her father does the same thing during takeoffs and landings._ _There's so much of Sheldon in Lori, my heart sometimes seems ready to burst when I look at her._ _She has his hair and his smile, so now I can add flying anxiety to the list._ _But what does she have of me?_ _She has my eyes and freckles, and my nose. That's all good, I suppose._ _Though I wish she could have skipped the freckles part._ _But she also has so many things that are purely her, like her laugh and her love of princesses and fairy tales._ _Neither Sheldon nor I go for those things, though he has adopted that mindset quite easily._ _It's taken me a bit longer and I am still struggling with the idea of girls dreaming of being princesses._ _When I was small, I knew I wanted to be either a scientist or a mathematician._ _I just always knew that from about the age of five._ _At that age, I was getting into algebra and geometry and Sheldon was already conquering the world of calculus._ _I wonder if Lori will inherit that math aptitude or will she always lean more towards the fanciful?_ _I suppose it doesn't matter._ _Her father and I will both love and support her no matter what path she chooses in life, as long as it's legal and won't bring her any harm._

Soon, an announcement came over the intercom that they could unbuckle their seatbelts and move freely around the plane. Niki quickly freed herself and her daughter from the confines of their seats and they both headed towards the back of the jet, eager to explore all that the middle and back contained. Niki heard a noise behind her, looked back over her shoulder, and saw that Penny and Blake were right behind them. "Hey, girl!" she called out, "Where do you want to go first?"

Niki's friend hurried to catch up with her and suggested, "Let's get the kids situated in this living room and find a movie for them to watch. Blake looks a little green around the gills and Lori looks a little scared. Let's hope a fun video will take their minds off things for a little while."

"Good idea!" Niki sat her daughter down on a long couch and asked her, "What movie would you like to see?" She studied the movies contained on several shelves secured behind plexiglass doors. "It looks like they have all of your favorites, Precious. What would you and Blake," who had now joined Lori on the couch," like to watch?"

"Up?" Lori squealed, all fear forgotten.

"No!" Blake cried, shaking his head rapidly for effect.

Niki sighed and addressed her daughter, "Okay, Lori, let's find something you both can enjoy. What movie do you and Blake like to watch together the most?

"Cinderella!" the little girl crowed.

"Finding Nemo!" Trumpeted her male counterpart, pounding his hands emphatically on the seat cushion.

"Oh, dear. It looks like an impasse." Niki turned to Penny and asked frantically, "Now what do we do?"

Penny crossed her arms and stared directly at Niki as she answered her friend, "We act like parents and pick the movie for them if they can't agree, that's what. Now," she looked down at both children and asked, "what movie do you guys want to see? If you can't agree, we mommies will pick one for you."

The two children looked at each other and then replied in unison, "Lion King!" Niki nodded and mouthed a silent, "Thank you!" to Blake's mother, and then search the shelves for the movie of their choice. "Here it is." She removed the case, opened it, and inserted the disc into the player. The opening credits soon appeared on the immense television screen located on the bulkhead. "Now, while you two are watching that, Blake's mommy and I are going to get you guys something to eat. You have a choice, fish sticks or chicken nuggets. You can't have both right now. You can eat one now and one later. So, my dears, what will it be?"

The toddlers thought for a moment and then Blake announced, "Nuggets!" Lori smiled and nodded at his choice, so another in-flight crisis was avoided.

"Chicken nuggets, it is!" Penny replied and when Mary made her way into the room to watch the children, the mothers headed further back in the plane to the galley, to prepare the meals for the kids.

Twenty minutes later, the children were eating their nuggets from the tv trays in front of them while they had a good time watching their movie. Mary sat with them while their mothers had their own meal of sushi in the planes dining room. All was going well until Mary called from the living room, "Penny, I think you should come out here. Blake doesn't look so good."

Penny flew out of the dining room and towards the front of the plane, rushing to get to the living room and her son. As she scooped him up and held him tightly to her chest, the little boy vomited profusely into his mother's neck and hair. "Oh, poor baby, we sure didn't see that coming!" Mary exclaimed while Penny shot her a withering look.

Niki finally emerged from the dining room, took in the scene before her, and gasped, "Oh my!" She then took the miserable little boy from his mother and laid him down on the couch a little ways from her daughter. Taking a moist wipe from her purse, which she had placed nearby, she did her best to clean him up, crooning softly to him the entire time. "You aren't feeling so hot, are you, buddy? Don't worry. Once I get you a bit cleaner, we'll change your clothes and give you something to make the sick feeling go away. Okay?'

Penny grew concerned and asked her friend, "What are you going to give him, Nik?"

Niki looked over at Blake's mother, who was vainly trying to clean herself with a small towel, and reassured her as she wiped the boy's face clean and took off his outer garments, "Don't worry, Penny. Nothing that will harm him. My guess is Blake's airsick. I have some of Sheldon's seasick pills with me and I know how to use them on a child. When Lori got old enough to go on car trips with us, we asked our pediatrician what we could do for her if she showed signs of having motion sickness like her father. I'll just give him a quarter of a pill. Soon, he'll feel much better and fall gently to sleep for a little while."

Penny managed a slight grin as her mind went back in time, "Say, are those the same pills Sheldon took on our cruise to Mexico?" _*The Assistant Conundrum: Chapter 42_

Niki smiled at the memory, "Yeah, but don't worry. He won't go running around the plane half-dressed. That only happened because Sheldon took to many of these along with his Paxil. Blake will be fine. Now, can you get me some clean clothes for him?"

Mary entered the conversation with, "Relax, Niki. I'll go fetch some clothes for the boy. I think his mother could stand a little cleanin' up herself. Right, honey?"

Penny looked down at the front of her vomit-covered shirt and sighed, "I guess so. Hey, thank you both. You've both been a big help here. Mary, his clothes are in a small canvas tote in the overhead compartment up front, right above where we were sitting."

"Gotcha. I'll be right back. In the meantime, why don't you try out one of them fancy showers they have in those bedroom suites? I have a notion you'll feel heaps better once you get out of them clothes and wash your hair."

Thirty minutes later, Blake was sleeping soundly, Penny was freshly showered, Mary was engrossed in reading her Bible, and Niki was sitting on the couch, exhausted. They soon heard a small voice cry out, "I want Gamma."

Niki hugged Lori and pointed to Mary, "Silly girl, your Grandma is right there."

The little girl began to wail, "Not MeeMaw. I want Gamma!"

Her mother tried to explain the situation to the distraught toddler, "But Precious, Grandma Audrey is back in Pasadena with Grandpa Richard. They are very busy right now planning their wedding. You can Skype her if you want to, that we can do."

"But I want Gamma HERE!" Lori wailed.

Niki realized then that her daughter also possessed another of her husband's less desirable traits, she could be extremely unreasonable. She then scolded herself, _Now I'm trying to pin a typical toddler temper tantrum on her father._ _That's not right._ _Lori is just a small child wanting her grandmother._ _Most children her age would act the same way._ _Now, how can I divert her?_ _We can't Skype Sheldon, he doesn't even know we're coming and I don't want to spoil the surprise._ _Hmmm…I've got it!_

Niki released her daughter and told her, "I'll be back in just a minute. I need you to help me with something very, very, important.'

The idea of being 'very important' to her mother quickly drove any thoughts of wanting her grandmother from Lori's mind and the little girl dried her eyes and gave her mother a sunny smile as she replied, "Okay. I help."

Niki went over to one of the end tables in the living room and picked up a stack of private Binary stationary and a gold pen sitting on top of it. She returned to her daughter's side and asked her, "Do you think you could help me with something that has to do with DaDa?"

"DaDa? Yes!"

Her mother praised Lori with, "Good girl! I knew you would help me. Now, I need you to give me some ideas of what we can do while we're in Germany with your father."

Lori crowed, "Zoo!"

Niki wrote the work 'zoo' on the pad and smiled at her daughter, "If there's a zoo there, I'm sure we can do that. Here, I'll write that down as the first thing. Okay, what next?"

The next word the toddler shouted out was, "Beach!"

Niki shook her head sadly and informed the little girl, "I'm afraid there aren't any beaches in Germany. It's not near an ocean, Precious. How about going to a lake? Maybe we could feed some swans or ducks."

Lori nodded her head and answered, "Okay. Lake."

"Good. You're so much help, Lori. I don't see how I could be doing this without you. Any more ideas?"

"Park?"

Niki gave her daughter a small frown and tried to encourage her in her speech development, "Lori, why don't you try a full sentence? I know you can do that."

The toddler's brows knit together in concentration and then she rephrased her suggestion, "DaDa can take us to a park?"

Her mother's face lit up in a smile and she praised Lori for her effort, "Good girl! Yes, that's an excellent idea. I'm glad you thought of it."

Encouraged by her success, Lori continued with, "Mommy, drive? DaDa can take us for a drive?"

Niki nodded and quickly jotted down the little girl's suggestion, "Ooh, that's another good one. Now, can I suggest one?"

"Yes!"

"Because our trip there is so special, maybe we could go out for hamburgers somewhere." Niki figured one hamburger occasionally wouldn't destroy her daughter's health.

"Or pizza!" the Lori added with a grin spreading across her impish face.

Niki gave her daughter a hug and agreed with her, "Yes, or pizza. Lori, maybe we can do both. We will be there for a few days. Did you know that we will be bringing your father and Uncle Leonard home with us?"

"DaDa come home? Yes! I want DaDa at home, not Germy."

Niki gave an amused grin and informed her, "Precious, it's Germany, not Germy. Those are two entirely different things. Say it after me, Ger."

Lori repeated, "Ger."

"Ma."

She echoed, "Ma."

"Ny."

"Ny." Lori parroted her mother's las syllable.

Her mother then suggested, "Now, let's put it all together. Ger-ma-ny."

"Germany!"

Niki was quick to praise her, "Very good!" She then studied their list for a minute and asked Lori, "Now, what's another thing we could do with DaDa?" Hearing no answer, she looked down at the little girl and discovered that, as often happens when a tantrum has been diffused, she was fast asleep.

Niki gave a sigh of relief and gently picked up Lori and carried her into the special nursery that Binary had provided for the children. She carefully placed her in one of the cribs and tiptoed out to rejoin the rest of their party in the living room. There, she found Penny talking to Leonard on her phone, Mary texting Alfred yet again, and Blake sleeping off the Dramamine she had given him.

Their pilot suddenly announced over the speaker, "If you care to look out the windows, you will see that we are now passing over New York City. That green blob you see down there is actually Central Park. We are now approximately half way to Frankfurt, Germany and will arrive there in five hours, at twelve p.m., Central European Time. I hope you are all enjoying your flight so far."

While the other women looked out the windows next to them with interest, Niki rolled her eyes, groaned and thought to herself, _Five more hours!_ _What can I do to help pass the time?_ At that moment, she realized she still had some uneaten sushi left in the refrigerator and went back to the galley to get some of it and take it back to the dining room to enjoy. As Niki sat down at the long table with her plate of sushi and a good book, relaxation finally overtook her and she soon felt incredibly drowsy and relaxed. Closing her book, Niki took her plate back to the galley and placed it in the sink. She then proceeded to the bedroom she had chosen as hers and laid down on the king size bed it contained. Before she knew it, Niki Cooper was fast asleep as the plane carrying her continued its journey across the Atlantic Ocean en route to Europe.

Two hours later, Niki awoke with a start. Her stomach felt like it was turning summersaults. _This must be from the sushi I ate._ _Some it must have been bad._ _I must get up and warn Penny not to eat any of it that is left._ The ill scientist swung her legs over the side of the bed with every intention of returning to the living room and warning the others about the sushi. She never made it. Before she reached the door of the room, Niki felt both her head and her stomach spinning and she lurched over to the restroom attached to the room and barely made it in time to deposit her sushi into the shining metal bowl of the toilet. After doing a quick clean up, she returned to the bedroom and picked up her phone to call Penny. Before she could press her friend's number, severe nausea overtook her and, once again, she made a hasty journey to the lavatory.

As only true friends can, Penny sensed something was wrong with Niki and hurried farther back into the plane, passing the galley and dining room on her way to the bedroom her friend had chosen for her nap.

Leonard's wife stuck her head through the doorway, saw her friend emerging from the lavatory and asked her, "Nik, you okay? Oh shit! You're not, are you?"

Niki crawled back into the bed and in a tired voice warned Penny, "Whatever you do, don't eat the sushi."

The blonde beauty stated the obvious, "I can see that. Trust me, I won't go near the stuff." She thought for a moment and then added, "But I had some earlier with you and I'm fine."

Niki raised her head from the pillow and asked her, "What kind did you have?"

"Spicy tuna and the albacore. You?"

"Smoked salmon skin. Maybe that is the bad one. Throw it out, will you?" the ill woman asked her friend.

"Nik, we're on a plane. Just where do you want me to throw it? Out the window?"

Niki gave Penny a weak smile and replied, "I guess you're right. Just make sure no one else…oh my god!"

Penny watched Niki catapult from the bed and run to the bathroom. Once she was inside, terrible noises emerged. Penny got worried, knocked on the door, and asked, "Girlfriend, are you going to be okay for a minute? 'Cause I'm going to go find you some ginger ale."

Niki's voice came weakly from within, "Yeah, I'll be okay. I think I'm over the worst of it."

Niki's bestie wasn't convinced and she said as much, "Sure you are, Sweetie, sure you are. Look, I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

"Trust me, I won't. Where the hell would I go anyway?"

As she turned to leave the room, Penny responded worriedly, "I don't know. Look, just stay put while I get you something to calm you stomach. Hey, maybe one of Sheldon's pills. They worked wonders for Blake."

Niki nodded eagerly, "That's a good idea, girl. They're in my bag, next to the nightstand."

"Got 'em! Let me go to the galley and get you that ginger ale to help you swallow the pill."

Both of their heads turned as they heard an "Excuse me, ladies," coming from the doorway. Mary Cooper walked over to Niki and helped her back to her bed, she then continued in a kind, patient, voice, "Them pills won't help her if it's food poisonin'. They might help if she was airsick, like the little fella back there in the livin' room. But I know that ain't it. The girl has flown plenty of times with my son and he's never once mentioned her gettin' sick."

Penny felt a bit lost and asked Mary, "So what should we do?"

The older woman pointed towards the front of the plane and answered, "Well, you should go back and sit with your son, that's only fittin' and proper, seeing as you're his momma. I'll take care of this girl." Seeing Penny's face contort with worry, Mary explained to her, "I'll make sure to call you if she gets worse, I promise. But you don't want Blake fallin' off that couch, do you?"

Penny turned to go, but let Mary know she was far from placated, "You're right, Mary. I'm just worried about Nik. I've never seen her like this in a long time. The last time I saw her throw up…never mind. I'm going out to watch my son. But let me know if Niki gets any worse, okay?"

"You betcha. Now you just take your pretty little head back to the livin' room and I'll take care of our girl here." With that, Mary pulled the covers of the bed up to Niki's chin and tucked her in fondly.

From the bed, Niki gave a dispirited croak, "Actually, I think you can both leave. My stomach seems to have settled down and I think I'll go back to sleep now. Mary, just wake me up about an hour before we land so I can freshen up a bit. Can you do that for me?"

"I sure can, but are you sure you're gonna be alright?"

Niki smiled and nodded at Mary, "Positive. I feel some better now, just a little tired."

Sheldon's mother stood up and reluctantly made ready to leave Niki's side, "Well, I'll get out, but I'll be close by in case you need me. I think I'll go take a short nap myself. There's another bedroom next to this one, right?"

"No, next to this one is the nursery. Lori is asleep there. But, there is a futon in there for an adult to lay on."

Mary smiled and walked towards the nursery, "That suits me just fine. That way, I can keep an ear open for you and my granddaughter. Now, girl, if you need anything, just holler. Okay?"

Niki smiled weakly and replied, "Okay, Mary. And thanks."

"No thanks needed, honey. You're my daughter-in-law. We're family. And family sticks together."

With that comforting thought, Niki went back to sleep and dreamed of finally being united with Sheldon.

 **Will the reality match the sweet dreams?** **Maybe.**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Willkommen in Deutschland

 **The California entourage lands in Germany and are met by Leonard and Sheldon's new friend.**

Helmut Hoffman cursed under his breath at the traffic ahead of him. Only he would volunteer to drive from Heidelberg to Frankfurt the morning after a heavy snowstorm. But, he had done it out of a sense of friendship with Leonard Hofstadter. Like most people, he had found the man to be a kind, gentle, agreeable soul and Helmut, who took to very few people, had found himself liking the California physicist more and more the longer he knew him. Leonard's wife and child were arriving at noon this day and he had been more than happy to do Leonard a favor and pick them up from the airport.

That the wife and child of Sheldon Cooper would be with her did not deter him at all. While he had never warmed up to Sheldon like he had Leonard, he had witnessed a certain vulnerability to the man that he would never have guessed possible. And because of this, he had begun to form an odd respect for the oddball physicist, which in itself was a miracle. His first meeting with Cooper had not gone well at all. Helmut had taken the view that he had never met a more self-centered man in his life. And that view had held until the aftermath of Sheldon's meeting with Heather Powers. Then, he had seen the other side of Sheldon, the side that had shown him just how much Dr. Cooper loved and appreciated both his family and his friends. The term, 'still waters run deep' had never been proven truer than they had that night. Still, as much as he had warmed up to Sheldon, he was out in this miserable weather as a favor to Leonard Hofstadter, not Sheldon Cooper.

Helmut smiled to himself at the fact that his girlfriend, Annelise, had actually worked with Penny Hofstadter in a play in Pasadena a few years prior. From what he could recall of their conversation on the matter, Anna, as he called her, had told him that Penny had played one of the leads in the Tennessee Williams play, The Glass Menagerie. His lover, on the other hand, had been the understudy for the actress who portrayed Laura. When Helmut had informed Leonard of this fact, the physicist had merely given a whistle and exclaimed, "It's a small world, isn't it?" Add to that the fact that when he had been shown a picture of Dr. Cooper's wife, Nikita, something familiar had tickled the back of his brain. Up until this day, he had not been able to put his finger on it, but he hoped by seeing the woman in the flesh, it would come to him. Both of these facts made Helmut both extremely eager and petrified to meet both of these ladies and their children.

Herr Hoffman wondered to himself how two men who looked like the visiting physicists managed to be married to two such accomplished women, who both husbands swore were beautiful as well, amazed him no end. Now, Anna was a beautiful girl, but Helmut considered himself a fairly handsome man as well. While not as tall as Cooper, he was still of a good height and his strong jaw, light brown hair and blue eyes didn't hurt his cause. He calculated he must have been close to three or four inches taller than Leonard, who was quite short in stature. Helmut mused as he snaked through the heavy traffic, _I wonder if these two women are as beautiful, bright, kind, and intelligent as their husbands have told me they are._ _Whether they are or not, they are loved very much by their spouses and I will make sure I take extra good care of them until I have delivered both of them safely to their hotel._

Soon, Helmut was arrived at the airport and parked his car in the parking structure nearest the Lufthansa First Class Terminal, where the airline had given permission for Binary's jet to land and dispatch its passengers. He had seen this terminal on the news a few times. This was Lufthansa's special terminal where they allowed celebrities, politicians, and other VIPs to travel without the hassle of dealing with the public. Helmut was duly impressed and suddenly realized the two physicists visiting the university were a very big deal, indeed. And apparently, so were their families. Helmut hesitantly entered the building and took a seat in the lounge located there. A bland young woman, impressed with her own importance, came into the room and informed him in English she was taking him to the VIP Lounge, where all the elite people of the world sat like royalty and waited for others of the same ilk to join them.

The young woman pointed first to a door on the far side of the room and then to a very modern-looking sectional sofa with a coffee table in front of it, on which were resting only the trendiest of magazines, "The Binary Party will be coming through that door right over there, shortly. So, have a seat here and relax. Can I have someone bring you a drink or something to eat?"

Helmut thought for a moment before replying, "Just a bottled water, if you don't mind." He was too nervous to eat, but he did have a bit of dry mouth that he hoped the water would put right. After his water arrived, Helmut looked out the one-way window and saw Binary's private jet arrive and slowly make its way over to the First Class Terminal. It suddenly hit him that he would be meeting the families of his friends in just a few short minutes. In a panic, Helmut wondered if the two women were anywhere near as nervous as he was. He finally decided to pick up one of the trendy magazines and read one of its vapid articles to pass the time.

Helmut heard a noise that caught his attention and he saw that the Binary plane had docked with the terminal and the Cooper party would soon be entering through the door ahead and to his left. He stood up, adjusted his clothes, popped a breath mint into his mouth, and prepared his carefully scripted greeting in his mind. This greeting soon disappeared from conscious thought when the wait ended and the women and children emerged from the jetway. The usually calm and collected physicist became quite unsettled as he beheld a woman who sent all his senses reeling and his mind on a long journey to the past.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Niki Cooper woke up from an fully restorative nap in plenty of time to shower, do her makeup, and don fresh clothes before their plane landed in Frankfurt. She carefully checked her face in the mirror. She knew she wouldn't be meeting her husband for several hours after they landed, but she still wanted to look as good as possible when they arrived. She didn't know the person who was picking them up, Penny had only told her that they were going to be met by a friend of Leonard and Sheldon's from the university. If this was so, she wanted to make a good first impression on them. It would never do to embarrass Sheldon or give off a negative vibe to someone who may have been an important person at the school.

The blonde physicist felt butterflies forming in her stomach at the thought of being in her husband's arms before nightfall. She hadn't realized how much she had missed Sheldon until they were actually on their way to Germany. How she had missed his kisses, his smile, his strong arms holding her tight while she slept, and his deep blue eyes that seemed to dance in delight whenever he looked her way. Was it normal to still be this much in love after having been married almost two years and becoming parents? She then thought of her friends, the Hofstadters. Thinking about how devoted and loving these two were made Niki realize that not only was it possible, in a good marriage it was almost a certainty.

The daydreamer's head turned as she heard a knock on her door and a voice calling out, "Nik, we'd better get the kids up and dressed. We're going to be landing in about a half hour and we all have to be buckled up in our seats within about fifteen minutes or so."

The door opened and Niki answered her, "Be right there, Penny! I'll go wake up Lori right now. Unlike Blake, she's always such a cranky head when she first wakes up."

A grin appeared on the pretty blonde's face as she answered back, "Yeah, but within ten minutes she's her usual adorable self. You guys got lucky there."

Niki grinned back at her friend, "As did you and Leonard. Your son has such a sunny disposition. Anyway, go get him up and we'll be right with you."

"Too late. He woke up a little while ago. He's been fed and now he's happy as a clam. Mary's sitting with him now. That quarter pill you gave him worked like a charm. How are you feeling, by the way? Any better? If you want, I'll help you with Lori."

Niki shook her head and pointed to a pile of luggage next to the bed, "No need. I'll tell you what you can do for me, though. Could you get what's left of my bags and take them to the front of the plane and put them under a seat? Lori's stuff is already up there, but most of mine is piled over there."

"Sure, but it might take me a couple trips to get it all."

Sheldon's wife was sincere in her apology to her best friend, "I'm sorry, Penny. I guess I wasn't thinking when I was packing to leave. I guess I took a little too much, didn't I?"

"Hey, no worries, Sweetie. I have even more than you. Thank god Binary told us they'd have porters take our things from the plane to the hotel. That's going to save us a whole lot of hassles. It wasn't easy getting all this luggage and the kids to the airport and on the plane."

Tell me about it," Niki cringed at the memory and then continued, "but we made it in spite of all that. Still, a porter will be a huge convenience."

Penny walked over to the pile of suitcases and picked up a large suitcase and a small makeup bag, "You go get Lori and I'll handle this stuff. I can't wait to see Leonard again and Blake can hardly sit still himself. Thank you for inviting us to go with you."

Niki walked toward the door that connected her room with the nursery and answered her friend, "As if I would do this without my bestie. C'mon, Penny. You know me better than that. Let me get my little princess and I'll meet you all back up front in a few minutes."

Twenty minutes later, the entire Cooper party were preparing to land in Frankfurt. Their seatbelts were securely fastened and Niki once again held her daughter's hand as they descended through the clouds and got their first look at Germany. Niki was entranced by the low-lying mountains and dense forests that surrounded the city. While Frankfurt, from what she could see, seemed to be a very modern city, there was something about it that harkened back to the Medieval era. Niki felt very much that the long, tiring trip was worth it just for the panoramic view of this lovely city.

Once they touched down on the runway, Lori released her mother's hand and gave her a tremulous smile. The little girl had discovered she quite liked flying, but the take-offs and landings were a bit scary for her. She took a bit of comfort from the words of her mother, "Now, don't worry if you get scared or nervous sometimes while we are on the plane. Your father goes through the same thing and he is one of the bravest people we know, isn't he?"

Lori had nodded and decided that even if she got scared, her mother would understand. That was why holding her mother's hand had been so reassuring to her. If her beloved mother did not think less of her father for being a little scared of flying, she knew her mother would be very understanding if she felt the same way. While the plane was taxiing to the terminal, Lori asked her mother, "We see DaDa?"

Her mother had given the little girl a warm smile and told her, "Not right away, precious. DaDa's at work right now. We will see him a little later and most likely we will all go out to dinner. Then, you and Blake will be staying with Meemaw tonight while DaDa and I catch up on a bit on the work we've both been doing. Tomorrow morning, we will all go to breakfast and maybe we will see if there is a zoo nearby. Does that sound good?"

"Okay, Mommy. Is DaDa here?"

Niki patiently explained to her in words she hoped the child could understand, "Well, he's in Germany, but not right here. He's giving talks at a school in another city, and that is where we will be going."

Lori beamed up at Niki and asked, "We drive to DaDa?"

"No, Precious. DaDa and Uncle Leonard have sent one of their friends from that school to pick us up and drive us to where they are. Just be patient, sweetheart. We will be seeing DaDa very soon.

With that, Lori Cooper smiled up at her mother and completely relaxed. If her mommy said they were going to where her father was staying, then that was what was going to happen and she was happy.

At the same time, Penny was having much the same discussion with her son.

Penny grinned over at her son and asked him, "Blake, are you excited that you are going to be seeing Daddy?"

"Will he be right there?" the precocious child pointed to the terminal.

Penny shook her head and began to explain to the child, "No, sweetie. Daddy is working today at a school in Heidelberg, which is quite a few miles from here. One of Daddy's friends is picking us up and driving us there."

Blake smiled up at his mother and inquired, "Will I see Daddy today?"

She nodded happily and replied, "Yes, honey. In a few hours. Have you missed him?"

The towheaded child giggled and told her, "Yes! Daddy makes me laugh."

The announcement came over the intercom that they had arrived in Frankfurt and could release their seatbelts. Penny did just that for herself and her son and declared in a happy voice, "Me, too. Oh look, the planes stopped. Let's get ready to get off this thing and get to Heidelberg."

"Okay, Mommy."

Soon, a kindly flight attendant came to their party and informed them that they should only take with them what was absolutely necessary. The rest, she informed them, would be sent to their hotel by employees of Binary. Niki, Penny, and Mary happily complied and strapped the toddlers into their strollers, grabbed the children's car seats, their purses and small pieces of luggage and prepared to leave the plane.

Their party was not subjected to the tedious ordeal of going through customs. Instead, a customs officer met them in the jetway, performed a cursory inspection, and waved them through. Niki was impressed by this and once again realized the power and privilege of being associated with Binary LLC. As with their luggage and flight plans, it came in very handy at times. But Niki realized full well that these privileges were removing her further and further from plain old Niki Cooper of Altadena, California, and she wasn't sure she was entirely comfortable with that. Ever since she had starred in a popular miniseries the year before, Penny had been accorded this same star treatment and took it in stride as part of her job. But the actress had never let these perks affect her private life. Niki hoped she would be able to say the same in the future. She still wanted to be Niki Cooper, the woman who most often ran around in jeans or leggings and a t-shirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She didn't want to lose Niki in order to become Dr. Nikita Horner, Noble Prize winner and wife and partner of world renowned physicist and fellow Nobel winner, Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Niki Cooper felt she shouldn't have to forsake one to fulfill being the other.

Her mind was brought back to the present by Mary Cooper advising her, "Girl, snap out of it. We gotta get these kids out of here and to the hotel. They both want to see their dads real bad and I know us wives want to see our husbands, too."

Niki was quick to apologize, "Sorry, Mary. I was lost in thought. Of course, you are right. Let's go." With that, they all continued walking until the came to the end of the jetway. As they emerged into the lounge, Niki stopped and stared. The man facing them sent her mind racing back to another time and place she had thought she put long behind her.

 **What's going on with Helmut and Niki?** **Do they know each other?** **If they do…in what way?**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Who Knew?

 **Our friends meet Helmut and the link between him and Niki is revealed.** **Can you guess what it is?**

Once he had recovered his senses, Helmut took stock of his charges as they entered the lounge. He quickly noted the two small children. Both seemingly well behaved for toddlers their age who had been trapped in a plane for several hours. But then he realized the offspring of his two friends had not been strapped into their car seats for twelve hours, they had most likely been free to wander throughout most of the plane for a goodly part of the flight. He was impressed that their small party had been given the use of a private jet of that size, but he supposed when you are associated with a powerful company like Binary, and have won a Nobel Prize, that company takes very good care of you. His mind soon added, and all your friends as well.

He noticed the pretty blonde next to Cooper's wife. She was a very attractive woman, but she seemed a bit tired and looked as though every step was an immense effort for her. He could see why Leonard thought his wife beautiful, but to Helmut, her type of beauty rang no alarm bells in his psyche. She looked like a typical Hollywood manufactured actress. Her make-up was perfectly applied and her body was slender, fit, and shapely. Still, he noticed the protective way she looked at the children and the woman next to her, and realized there was more to Penny Hofstadter than met the eye.

The woman next to her was the one who had brought Helmut Hoffman's mind into full alert. Tall, extremely slender without the shapeliness of her friend, Niki Cooper was the one who had his full attention. She had sandy blonde hair that reached to just above her shoulders and which curled under slightly. Her mouth had a slender top lip and a full, almost pouting bottom one. Helmut also noted a slight dusting of freckles across her cheeks and nose which only added to his interest. However, it was her eyes that had caught his attention. They were large, expressive, and of an unusual light grey color. He had only seen eyes that color once before. In a memory from his childhood and in a photograph. A photograph of…

Helmut quickly steered his mind away from that thought and concentrated on the older woman next to Penny. He had no idea who she was, but he felt an affinity for her immediately. She had a no-nonsense look about her that Helmut admired and found oddly reassuring. He could also see that this woman possessed a very kind heart. He took in the way she shepherded their party along the jetway with compassion and caring and concluded that she was the one person who had most likely made this journey feasible. He was sure if there had been any problems among their group in transit, this lady would have been the one who had held everyone together.

With a sense of purpose that had always characterized his actions, Helmut Hoffman walked toward this small group and offered his delayed greeting, "Good afternoon. I am assuming you are the Cooper party? Yes? Very good. My name is Helmut Hoffman. I am an acquaintance of Drs. Hofstadter and Cooper and I will be escorting you to your hotel in Heidelberg."

The woman Helmut had surmised was Niki Cooper stared at him with a quizzical look and then replied, "We are very pleased to meet you. Penny told me that Leonard has said so many nice things about you. I am pleased to meet you in the flesh." She then gave a slight chuckle at the end of her sentence which reminded him of… Once again, he immediately channeled his mind elsewhere and announced to them, "Please, follow me. Your luggage is being taken care of as we speak, so we will proceed to our chariot on loan from the university and get you all safely to your hotel. Your husbands will meet you there when they are finished with their lectures later today."

They all followed Helmut through the terminal and out to the aforementioned chariot, which turned out to be a grey, medium sized Volvo SUV. Niki couldn't help but imagine that if Helmut Hoffman had been an automobile this was the make and model his form would have taken. Of a good size and structure, dependable, bland, and extremely utilitarian. Still, when she looked at him, something in her became unsettled. Her brain searched frantically for the reason, but came up empty. It was something in the way he was built, presented himself, and talked that told her she knew him from somewhere, but just where she didn't know.

Penny followed wearily behind her friend, jet lag getting the best of her. While Niki, Mary, and the kids had napped, she had stayed awake, too excited to sleep. Now she was paying the price. She was still very much looking forward to being reunited with Leonard, but she was beginning to think a nice nap beforehand wouldn't hurt her any. When they finally reached the SUV that Helmut would use to drive them to Heidelberg, Penny crawled into the very back seat and stretched out in a relaxing position. Mary was left sitting between both children in the middle seats, while Niki was seated next to Helmut in the front. Once everyone was settled, Penny closed her eyes and prepared to take a short nap. Helmut had told them that it would take them close to an hour to reach Heidelberg and their hotel. So, Penny settled back in her seat, closed her eyes, and began to drift off. The hum of voices in the background did not disturb her, until her eyes flew wide open as she began to follow the conversation taking place in the front seat.

"So," Helmut began, "is this your first trip to Germany?"

Niki pretended to be busy viewing the countryside out the window next to her, "No."

The young man pressed her for more information, "When have you been here before?"

Niki's eyes never turned from the window as she answered, "I came here with my mother when I was a teenager."

Helmut pointedly inquired, "Why?"

Niki let out a long sigh and replied, "We came here to see one of her sisters."

Hoffman couldn't help himself, he kept the pressure on his seatmate, "I see. Was there any particular reason your mother wanted to see her?"

Niki kept her eyes focused on the outside of the car and offered reluctantly, "Yes, I suppose there was. One doesn't travel across the ocean on a whim and take a petulant adolescent with you as well."

A smile played across Helmut's lips as he asked, "Were you petulant?"

She finally turned to Helmut and stated succinctly, "I've always been petulant." She then added in a kinder tone, "Sheldon says it's one of my finer qualities. He loves that I back down from no one or nothing when I'm challenged."

Again, the young man gave a small grin, turned to the woman seated next to him and asked her another question, "I see. Did your mother ever explain to you why you came to visit your aunt?"

Niki gave another sigh, shifted her body a bit, and answered the question, "It seems my aunt was having marital problems. Plus, she had just had a baby." Niki knew what was coming, but was trying to delay it as long as possible.

This time it was Helmut who shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "I see. A boy or a girl?"

"A boy."

The young man dreaded asking his next question, but he felt oddly compelled to query, "Did they tell you the child's name?"

Niki turned her head to look out the window once more, "Yes. Helmut."

Their host exhaled through his teeth and pushed Niki even further, "Have you kept in touch with your aunt since that visit?" He pretty much knew the answer to this one, but he needed to hear it from her lips.

Sheldon's wife stared down at her hands and slowly shook her head, "For a short while. But after that? Sadly, no."

"Why is that?" he inquired, even though he saw the pain this was bringing her.

Niki answered through gritted teeth, "I think you know why."

Helmut's eyes left the road ahead of him for a moment to better focus on the woman who may have had the answers he had long been searching for, "Maybe. But I'm not sure."

Niki turned her head towards Helmut and looked directly into his eyes as she spat out, "My aunt just disappeared one day a few years later and we've never heard from her again."

The young physicist's voice was almost a whisper as he asked, "Perhaps she was kidnapped?"

The woman seated next to him shook her head and answered in the negative, "Not likely at all. She left a note. And took most of her things with her."

"The baby?"

Once again, she shook her head, "No. My aunt left him behind with his father."

Helmut nodded his head sadly as if her answer was an affirmation of his own, unspoken thoughts, "Yes. She did. What was your aunt's name, if I may ask?"

The answer came quickly, "Helga."

"Last name?"

Niki stared straight at the man next to her, all pretense abandoned, "Hoffman."

Helmut pulled the car over to the side of the highway and looked at Niki with a strange intensity, "What was your mother's maiden name?"

"Graf."

Before Helmut started the car back up, he shared what he had been thinking since he first saw her emerging from the jetway, "Dr. Horner, my mother's name was Helga. Helga Graf, before she married my father. I do believe my mother was your aunt."

Niki looked at the young man through the tears in her eyes and nodded, "I know. I felt something like that the moment I saw your face."

Helmut reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek, "Likewise. My mother had your eyes." He then looked toward the back of the car, "And your daughter's."

"Your father showed you pictures of her?"

Helmut moved the car back onto the road and then answered, "Yes. Many times. That, and I have some actual memories of her. She left when I was five, so I do have a bit of recall. My father also talked about her quite a bit as I was growing up. He frequently mentioned her eyes and how they had captivated him."

Nikita thought about this for a minute and then asked the obvious, "So…I guess we're cousins?

The impersonal veil he perpetually wore returned to Helmut's face, "It does look that way. Look, do you prefer Dr. Horner or Mrs. Cooper?"

The older woman turned to him and stated, "Actually, I prefer Niki. We're family. There is no need to be that formal, is there?"

Helmut gave an open, honest smile, any cool remoteness had fled, and asked her, "Niki, have you or your family ever heard anything from my mother?"

"Not that I know of, but I can text my mother tonight and we can go from there. I do believe Helga's in Europe somewhere."

He momentarily took his eyes off the road to ask her in an earnest voice, "How is that?"

Niki's face and voice were both somber as she inquired of her cousin, "Can you handle the truth, Helmut?"

He let out a long sigh and answered her, "I do believe so. The worst truth is always better than the best lie."

Niki's thoughts went back to her husband, "That's what Sheldon has always said, in so many words. He's real big on the unvarnished truth."

Helmut chuckled softly under his breath, "Yes, he is. I've found him to be quite blunt at times."

"To some people that's off-putting. But I like it. I always know where I stand. At least I did until he got here."

Helmut misunderstood the meaning of her words and blurted out, "What do you mean? Are you referring to the Heather Powers incident? Believe me, nothing happened between them for you to worry about."

Now it was Niki's turn to chuckle as she waved off Helmut's suggestion, "Oh, I know that. Sheldon doesn't cheat. No, it was more his communication style with me."

"Continue."

Helmut's cousin gave him what she hoped was a clear explanation of what had been troubling her, "It was almost as though he had put up a mental partition between the two of us. And we're usually pretty close, but I felt this great distance. I'm not going to lie, it hurt."

He nodded soberly and put the question to her, "So you came here to rectify things?"

"No, I came here to bring something to him he forgot. And don't ask what it is. That's private."

Helmut responded in a resigned voice, "Very well, I won't ask." He then added in a more positive tone, "I will tell you this, Sheldon misses you and Lori very much. He just has strange ways of dealing with it."

Niki pulled out her phone and checked for any messages while she replied to Helmut's words, "I understand. I'm sure things will be fine once we see each other. Now, on to the truth about your mother. From what my mother has told me, it seemed Helga always had this great desire to live in Europe and your father fell in love with her and made that possible. She also shared with me that your mother had a thing for European men and European living. She hated living in the States. She always yearned for adventure, Old World charm, forests, royalty, and castles. That's what leads me to believe she's still over here, somewhere. If she is, we'll find her. Now, Helmut, who tells the guys we're cousins?"

A voice called out clearly from behind them, "Well, if one of you doesn't, I sure will. One of 'the guys' is my son and the other is my stepson. They both have the right to know this."

Niki gave a little laugh and reassured her mother-in-law, "Don't worry, Mary. I think the proper thing is we tell him together. Right, cuz?

Helmut did a most unusual thing for him, he laughed loudly and agreed with her, "Whatever you say, cuz. This ought to be quite entertaining."

Penny spoke up for the first time since the cousins had begun their conversation, "You got that right, mister. I'm gonna make sure I record every second of it on my phone!"

Niki nodded, looked to Helmut, and informed him, "I was expecting that. Penny and her phone have a history of capturing interesting moments in the life of Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper."

Helmut smiled back at his newly discovered cousin and declared, "Well then, as you Californians would say, let's get a move on and let the party begin!"

 **Is it just me, or did this visit just get a tad more intriguing?**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27:** **The Big Surprise**

It was the day after Heather Powers had made her attempt at disrupting Sheldon and Leonard's lecture, and once again, the two friends had just wrapped up a mutual presentation, this time on their joint superfluid paper. Sheldon was busy packing up his briefcase and Leonard was thinking of a way to get him over to their wives' hotel rooms without spoiling the surprise for his friend.

Leonard began to pack up his own notes and then suggested, "Hey buddy, what do you say we go out on the town tonight? You know, have an early dinner out and explore the town."

Sheldon looked over at his friend and tartly responded, "Leonard, need I remind you we have a well-stocked refrigerator back at our apartment and only a week left to empty it? Besides, it's the middle of February and much too cold to go galivanting around Heidelberg. Honestly, Leonard, sometimes I wonder if you think before you speak."

Leonard reluctantly conceded on those points, but still tried to find a way to get his buddy out of their apartment and over to the hotel where their wives and children were waiting for them, "Okay, we don't have to walk around town, but dinner out would be nice. You know, a little change of scenery and all that."

Sheldon shook his head vehemently at that idea, "No, Leonard. I have absolutely no interest in eating out tonight. Tomorrow, maybe. And need I remind you that in a couple of days we will be attending that banquet the university is putting on for us visitors? We will have that night to eat out. Tonight, I want to just stay in and catch up on some work. Niki has been doing the lion's share of our research since I've been gone and I'm starting to feel a bit guilty about that. Besides, tonight may be the night she decides to speak to me again."

Leonard had to almost physically bite his tongue to keep the news from his friend that both their wives were now less than a mile away. Instead, he had a better idea… "Say, buddy. We could always go out after we eat and take in a movie. How's that sound?

Sheldon's patience was running out and he almost snapped at his roommate when he answered, "Once again, I must reiterate that I have no desire, whatsoever, to leave the apartment tonight. None. Why are you so set on going out on the town, anyway?"

Leonard wracked his brain for an answer and came up with, "Uh, cabin fever. Yeah, that's it."

Sheldon dismissed his friend with a wave of his hand, "Well go explore on your own and leave me out of it. A nice, quiet evening sounds perfect to me right now. So, you go do your thing and I'll do mine."

Leonard's face suddenly brightened, "Hey, could I bring some friends back with me?"

Sheldon turned angrily and spat out, "Leonard, what part of 'quiet evening' are you failing to comprehend? No, please do not bring anyone back with you."

Leonard was becoming more than a little frustrated with his friend, but then thought of a new plan, "Okay, buddy. Just let me make a quick phone call and I'll be right with you."

"Then we will go up to our apartment?" Sheldon asked wistfully, his eyes making an upward trek towards the ceiling.

"You bet."

Sheldon nodded, somewhat appeased, "Very well. Make your phone call, but don't be all day about it."

Leonard exited the meeting room, went into the adjoining kitchen area, and placed a quick call to Penny. _Hey, honey._ _We have a little problem on this end._

 _Is that problem called Sheldon Cooper?_

 _How'd you guess?_ _He refuses to leave the apartment tonight._ _You know how stubborn he can be._

 _Do I ever!_ _Hey, why don't Nik and I get Helmut to bring us and the kids over to your place?_ _We can still surprise him there and then go out to dinner if you want._

 _That's my girl._ _Always with a plan._ _Okay._ _We'll meet you at our place in, say, an hour?_

 _Works for me._ _I'm sure Niki will have no problem with that._ _I think she's dying to see Sheldon as much as I'm dying to see you._ _And the kids can't wait to see their fathers._ _They're driving us crazy!_

 _Okay._ _Tell Blake that Daddy loves him and that I'll see him in a little while._ _Okay?_

 _Doesn't Daddy love me, too?_

 _You know I do._ _As I've always told you, I've loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you._

 _And I never get tired of hearing it._ _Okay, Sweetie._ _I've got to go and get ready._ _We'll all see you guys in about an hour._ _I'll text you when we're downstairs._ _Still fourth floor?_

 _Yep, just like the good ol' days._

 _That's right!_ _That makes this even better._ _See you then._

 _Okay._ _Love you._

 _Love you, too._ _And don't tell Sheldon anything._

 _Don't worry, I won't._

 _Okay._ _'_ _Bye._

 _See you soon._

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

One hour later, the two physicists were kicking back in their apartment and enjoying the peaceful comradery which filled the room. Suddenly, an urgent knock came on the door. Sheldon jumped in surprise and asked Leonard, "Who could that be? Are we expecting anyone?"

Leonard gave his friend a knowing grin and replied, "Oh, could be." Just then, a voice called out from behind the closed door, "Leonard, Sheldon, are you at home?"

Sheldon gave a small sigh, "Dear god, it's Helmut. Whatever does he want at this hour? Doesn't he have an afternoon class to teach today?"

Leonard could hardly keep himself from laughing as he responded, "We'll never know unless we open the door, Sheldon."

"Well, I'll just give that honor to you, Leonard. I am far too comfortable sitting on the couch to get up."

The smaller man feigned frustration as he walked over to the door, "Okay, Sheldon. Be that way. I'll get the door."

"Well, it wasn't me who invited Helmut to come over."

"Sheldon, I didn't invite anyone to come over today." Leonard somewhat spoke the truth, but sincerely hoped his face didn't give him away.

His friend looked up and challenged him, "Then what was up with all that business about trying to get me to go out or bringing someone back with you?"

Leonard opened the door and invited everyone out in the hall to come inside, "It was about this…"

At the sight of his wife, mother, and child, Sheldon's eyes went wide in surprise and he jumped up from the couch and ran to where they were standing. He then gathered all of them in his arms and tightly held them as though he would never let them go. "Niki, Lori, Mother…" were all the words he could get out before tears overtook him.

"DaDa!" Lori squealed in delight at finally having physical contact with her beloved father.

"Oh, Cooper!" Niki exclaimed as she gloried in the feel of being in Sheldon's arms once more.

Blake ran to his father as fast as his chubby little legs would take him and called out, "Daddy!"

Like Sheldon, Leonard wrapped his arms around his family and explained to his friend, "Sorry I couldn't tell you they were coming, but Niki made me and Penny swear we wouldn't breathe a word to you about this."

When he had finally regained the power of speech, Sheldon informed his friend, "No worries, Leonard. This is the best surprise I have ever had in my life." He looked down at his wife and child and told them, "You two have no idea how very, very, much I have missed the both of you."

Niki blinked back tears and told her husband, "I think we know, Schatze. It's about as much as we have both missed you."

He then down at Mary, "I'm more used to not seeing you, seeing as you don't live with me. So, I haven't really missed you a great deal."

Mary took no offense, she was very used to her son's pragmatism, "Don't you worry about that none, Shelly. I mostly came over to visit Alfred, and watch the kids sometimes for you guys when you all want some private time."

Leonard kissed his wife and child and told them, "Penny, Blake. This is like a dream come true. Thank you for coming all the way here to see me."

"Oh, Sweetie. When Niki invited us, I jumped at the chance to see you again. At one point, I almost felt like getting out of the plane and pushing it to make it go faster."

At that point, Sheldon interrupted her, "Penny, you know full well you would have met your demise if you had stepped outside of that plane."

Penny shook her head and gave her bestie's husband an ironic smile, "Sheldon, it was a figure of speech, okay? I meant that I couldn't wait to see my husband, and if I have to be honest, you too."

"Okay, Miss Smarty Pants. I suppose I have missed you as well. Now, Leonard, what do you say we take our wives and children out to dinner?"

Leonard looked at Sheldon in complete confusion, "But buddy, you told me earlier you didn't want to leave the apartment tonight."

"I didn't, but our families have most likely not eaten for several hours, so I think it is only proper that we treat them to a genuine German meal."

Penny asked happily as she continued hugging Leonard, "Where?"

Sheldon suddenly heard his phone chime and after he looked down at it, he informed the rest of them, "I just got a text. Binary has arranged a private table for us at Schnitzelbank."

Leonard dropped his arms from around his family and asked his friend, "Isn't that the place we ate at the first night we were here?"

Sheldon smiled happily at the memory, "Your memory has served you well, Leonard." He then beamed down at his wife and added, "Oh, that place has heavenly schnitzel, Freckles. Just wait until you taste it."

"I can't wait! It's been years since I've had genuine schnitzel."

Sheldon suddenly realized that their partner company was somehow involved in all of this and blurted out, "Niki, how did Binary get involved in this?"

Penny giggled and answered his question with, "Oh that. We came over on a private jet they loaned us."

Sheldon sat back down on the couch, "Wait, they gave you a jet to use?"

Niki nodded at him, "Uh huh. Marcus arranged it for us."

Sheldon gave his wife a slight grin and stood back up, "Well that explains a lot. Marcus is always looking out for our best interests. At least the children weren't confined to their seats for several hours."

Mary interjected, "I ain't ashamed to tell you, Shelly, that was a lifesaver, all right."

Penny looked at all the happy people in the room and "Look everyone, sorry to interrupt, but I'm starved. What do you say we continue this discussion at the restaurant?"

Niki's hand went up, "I'll second that motion."

Leonard's did as well, "I'll third it."

Sheldon smiled fondly at all of them, grabbed the house keys, and announced, "Then it's settled. Off to downtown Heidelberg we go."

Out of nowhere, they all heard Helmut Hoffman clear his throat and announce, "Now that I have delivered your families to you good men, I will be taking my leave."

Niki stood in his path, her arms crossed and a stern look on her face, "Like hell you will. You're coming with us!"

Sheldon gently scolded his wife, "Niki, watch your language. Perhaps Helmut doesn't want to horn in on our family reunion."

"Sheldon, Helmut IS family."

He looked befuddled and asked her, "Excuse me? Niki, did you say Helmut is part of our family?"

She nodded, "Uh huh. I sure did."

"In what way, may I ask?"

Niki, ever mindful of Penny's hunger, answered quickly, "On the drive here, we discovered that we're cousins."

Sheldon picked up his daughter and headed for the door while addressing his wife with, "Run that one by me again?"

"Sheldon, my mother and Helmut's mother are sisters."

He stopped his progress and slowly nodded, "I see. I suppose that does make the two of you cousins."

Leonard was intrigued by the entire situation and asked, "So, Helmut, when do we meet your mother?"

Before Niki's cousin could answer, Penny gave her husband a gentle push from behind and reminded him, "Hey, like I said before, I'm starved. Is it possible for us to go out to that restaurant and talk about this whole cousin thing when we get there?"

They all nodded at Penny's request, quickly readied themselves, and headed off for a most informative dinner.

 **Well, they've made it to Germany.** **Everything should be fine from now on.** **Right?** **Of course…not.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: Internal Pressure Rising**

Our little group had a wonderful time at Schintzelbank. While they all enjoyed their entrees, with special hotdogs for the children, Niki and Helmut explained their maternal connection. Sheldon found it fascinating, Penny suggested a movie could be made of their story, while Leonard asked Helmut to call his girlfriend and invite her to join them, as her play had just closed in London and she had been in town since the day before. It was after Annelise arrived and was introduced to everyone, and the children had nodded off in their father's laps, that Mary finally spoke up, "Has anyone here thought of lookin' for this boy's mama? She's got to be livin' somewhere around here."

Leonard looked at her curiously and asked, "Why would you say that, Mary?"

"Look, I have children. And even if I left their daddy and them, I know I would be somewhere I could keep tabs on 'em. There ain't a mother been born that completely leaves her children. Or at least not that I can imagine."

Helmut put down his glass of wine, looked across the table and addressed Sheldon's mother, "So, Mrs. Hofstadter, you believe my mother is living somewhere close by."

Mary fidgeted in her seat, put down her fork and explained her reasoning to the young man, "I don't know about close, but she sure as heck isn't living in another country."

Now it was Sheldon's turn to question her on her stance, "How can you be so sure of that, Mother?"

"I already told you, Shelly, I'm a momma. And momma's never stray too far from their children. Even when George was in jail, I still stayed in Texas most of the time."

Niki spoke up, "Mary, there are documented cases of some women who do desert their families and are never heard from again."

Mary picked up her fork and nodded at her daughter-in-law, "Yeah, but they got mental problems. There's nobody with that in your family, is there, Niki?"

Sheldon's wife shook her head and answered, "No. I know my Aunt Helga was depressed, but I think that came from something other than a mental illness."

Helmut picked up his wine glass, turned in his seat and blurted out, "Why do you think that? Isn't depression considered a mental illness?"

"Clinical depression is, yes. But your mother's state of mind was more of a situational issue than a medical condition."

Penny, who until that moment had been concentrating on her meal, was now becoming interested in the entire scenario and asked her friend, "How is that?"

Niki played with a breadstick as she explained to them, "From what I can recall and what my mother has told me over the years, Aunt Helga's worst nightmare was to find herself trapped in Milwaukee with a husband who was too distant and children who were too needy. So, when Helmut's father came into her life he seemed very foreign, very into her, and very exciting. My aunt figured life with him was bound to be better than the life she would have lived had she stayed in Milwaukee and married Mike Mier from down the street."

This time it was Leonard who paused his eating and questioned her, "So, what does that prove?"

Niki took a sip of water and continued airing her thoughts, "It proves plenty. Let me finish. A few years after escaping Wisconsin to go to Germany, she found herself living in an area filled with German and Polish people, like much of the population in the Midwest. She was also married to a busy man who had little time to meet her emotional needs. Then she had you," she pointed to Helmut, "and now her worst nightmare had come true. She was trapped in Munich with a distant husband and a small child who needed her. In her mind, she had the same type of life she had thought she escaped from, the only difference was the location. So, depression set in and she ran. She ran away from what she thought was everything she hated. I can now see this was a pattern for her. I wonder, sometimes, if she ever found what it was she was looking for, or if she eventually realized that what she really wanted and needed was back in Munich."

Mary's voice was loud and clear as she proclaimed, "Well, there's only one way to find that out. Honey," here she pointed at Helmut, "we got to go find your mama and ask her."

Helmut gave Mary an intent look and inquired in a puzzled voice, "How would we do that, Mrs. Hofstadter? I've generally avoided the idea of finding her, but now? I'm becoming extremely interested in doing just that."

Mary looked at a loss for words and Niki took it upon herself to answer the young man's question, "We split up in teams and each cover a different area of research. For starters, Penny and I can search local legal documents at the courthouse after I contact my mom and ask her a few things. Helmut and Anna can go online and do a little detective work there. Sheldon and Leonard still have lecture work to do here, so we should leave them to that for now."

Sheldon reached for his wife's hand while voicing his doubts, "Niki, I don't want to be a wet blanket, but this could take some time. We are supposed to be leaving for home in a few days."

"Sheldon, things will be fine at home without us for a bit. Raj and Howard are grown men who don't need us breathing down their necks to get work done. Plus, Bernie and Amanda will keep them in line. We're talking days here, not months."

Sheldon gave Niki's hand a gentle squeeze, nodded to her, and responded, "I suppose you're right. Helmut is family now, and he did help Leonard and me out on several occasions. Okay, I vote we stay and aid our friend in finding his mother."

Penny raised her hand and called out, "Me, too."

Leonard sided with his wife and told Sheldon, "I'm in.

Niki looked around the table and smiled at everyone, "Good. Now, tomorrow, what do you say we take a day off and do something with the kids before we start our search?"

Leonard had a sudden inspiration and voiced his idea to Sheldon, "Hey, buddy, we could take them to Heidelberg Castle."

"What a great idea, Leonard! And the next free day we have, we could all go to the zoo. Oh, wait. We have that University Banquet the day after tomorrow. We must attend that before we start any sort of detective work."

Niki finished her dinner, turned to Helmut and Anna and pledged, "Okay, we'll all go to that dinner and enjoy ourselves. After that, we will seriously start looking for Aunt Helga, I promise."

Helmut smiled broadly at his friends and his newly discovered cousin, "That sounds wonderful! Thank you all so much. Now, I suppose we should all go home and get some rest. The ladies have had an especially long day."

Penny sighed and replied in a tired voice, "You can say that again." She then asked Sheldon's mother, "Mary, when is Alfred meeting you here?"

Mary's face brightened at the thought of reuniting with her husband, "Day after tomorrow, honey. Now, you younger couples should take the chance and spend some private time together," she looked lovingly at the two small children nestled in their father's arms, "and I'll watch those two precious babies tonight. Does that sound like a plan?"

Niki smiled thankfully at her mother-in-law, "Sure, Mary. We'll pick up the kids for breakfast and a visit to the castle about eleven. Is that okay?"

"That sounds just fine. Now, let's get me and these little ones back to the hotel and you lovebirds can go back to the apartment."

Sheldon handed his daughter to his mother and the payment for their dinner to the waiter. He then stood up as he addressed Mary, "We will see you tomorrow, Mother, at eleven sharp."

As everyone rose from the table with Sheldon, Mary gave a little laugh, "That don't surprise me none, Shelly. You always were punctual, even as a boy."

With their dinner at an end, Sheldon called Mary a cab to take her and the children back to the hotel, while the rest of them headed over to the university lodging and some alone time with their significant others.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Thirty minutes later found the two California physicists cuddled up on the couch with their wives as they related their adventures in Heidelberg since their arrival, with the notable exception of the Powers incident. Eventually, Leonard got tired of talking and decided to make a move to get himself alone with Penny, whom he hadn't seen in an intimate way for several weeks. He removed his arm from around his wife to stretch, yawn, and declare, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I've had a long day and I think it's about time Penny and I went to bed. I hate to be a party pooper, but I'm beat."

Sheldon looked fondly at his wife as he replied to his friend, "I agree with you, Leonard. It has been a long day. But I do believe it has been even longer for our wives. Even in a private jet, that must have been a long flight, and having to deal with the children on top of that, you both must be dead on your feet. Still, I do believe we should thank our better halves for coming halfway around the world just to visit us. Ladies, we are truly touched."

Niki decided the time had come to reveal exactly why their group had come to Heidelberg, "Sheldon, we didn't exactly come all this way just to say 'hi'. I had a very important reason for coming here."

"I hope this has nothing to do with that Powers woman. Trust me, Niki, I never had a romantic or sexual thought about her for even a nanosecond."

His wife patted his arm and reassured him, "No, this has nothing to do with her. I very much believe that nothing happened between the two of you outside of that one kiss she attempted to give you. No, this is about something else completely."

"What would that be?"

Niki grinned up at her husband slyly, "I came to bring you something you forgot."

Sheldon gave her an impatient look and responded, "Niki, have you forgotten I have an eidetic memory? I forget nothing."

"Is that so? Well, you forgot something very important to you."

Sheldon gave her an amused grin and conceded, "Okay, I'll play along with you. What is 'something very important to me'?"

Niki dug deep in her purse and produced a small prescription pill bottle, "This. You forgot your shaving kit, which had your Paxil in it."

Sheldon's face held a pained expression as he asked her, "You came all the way from Los Angeles to Heidelberg to give me those pills?"

She nodded, "Yes. It seemed the right thing to do."

"Niki, you didn't need to do that."

"Yes, I did. You're my husband and I love you. A loving wife does things like that for her husband."

Sheldon moved away from his wife a bit and informed her, "But Niki, you really didn't need to do that."

Niki sighed and explained her reasoning to him, "I told you, Sheldon, I felt that you needed these pills, so I got them to you asap."

Her husband shook his head and made his point, "No, you misunderstood me. You did not need to bring me those pills. Those were extras I had left in my spare shaving kit. I had that one packed and ready to go in case I couldn't find my primary one. As I found the original kit easily that morning, I left the secondary one on the floor in the bedroom."

Niki's eyes went wide and burned with a hot intensity neither Sheldon, nor anyone else in the room, had ever witnessed before. Her words were short, clipped, and foreboding as they came out of her mouth, " ' . ."

Sheldon didn't completely catch on to her intent as he smiled at her sweetly and replied, "I just told you that, Niki. I have them stashed safely in my medicine cabinet. Now, don't you feel silly?"

Niki's eyes began to burn even brighter and Leonard advised his friend, "I don't think you really needed to say that, buddy."

Penny took one look at her friend and summed up the entire situation when she uttered a simple, "Oh, shit."

 **Yep. Oh shit.**


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Eruption

 **Niki's anger at Sheldon finally comes out…forcefully. Can this couple ever patch things up after her outburst?** ** _*Any similarities between Niki's words and those of Amy on the season opener are purely coincidental. I wrote this chapter weeks ago, not Monday night. It was kinda neat to see that, though._**

Various thoughts flashed through Niki's mind before she next spoke. _He was taking his meds the entire time he was acting like a jerk to me. He was taking his meds when he buddied up with that Powers woman. Why did he talk to me so rudely when he was taking his Paxil? Why?_

Finally, with tears and anger battling for supremacy in her eyes, Niki asked him, "Why?"

Sheldon was puzzled and responded with a confused, "Why what?"

"Why were you treating me so badly and why did you get friendly with Heather Powers? I thought those things happened because you hadn't been taking your Paxil. That's why I flew all the way over here, to give you your damn pills. If you had been taking them, then why? Why were you so mean to me and why did you start hanging with HER when you should have been talking to me, your wife?"

Sheldon crossed his arms and began to speak slowly and methodically to his wife, as if he were addressing a small child, "First, I believe I clearly explained those whys to you. I was lonely and missed you. I missed our home, our friends, and our daughter. That, dear lady, is 'why'. You know I don't handle change well. I have always had an aversion to change. I do believe that has something to do with my extraordinarily high IQ which occasionally leads me to exhibit some form of social awkwardness. Niki, that is something I would hope you understand after all this time knowing me. As I recall, and my recall skills are unparalleled, you quit talking to me. That is why I befriended Dr. Powers. You shut down on me in a silly snit and she was willing to listen to me. As far as you flying all the way over here, that one is completely on you. I never requested that you do so, it was entirely your idea. Does that explain my actions to you, Niki?"

Her response to his words was both immediate and acidic, "Sheldon, here's my response to that. As of this moment, I am no longer running a daycare center. It's more than time you manned up and started acting like a responsible adult. _Poor little Sheldon. You must all make allowances for me. I'm special, I'm a genius._ NO MORE! In case it has escaped your attention, we're ALL geniuses at Pentagram. Merely smart people don't win Nobel prizes, get picked to travel to the space station, or run their own research center. In our little group, you're not special, you're just slightly above average. Live with it. I'm very intelligent and so are Howard, Raj, and Leonard. I've got a suggestion for you, Cooper. Why don't you put on your big boy pants and start acting like a regular husband and father? The change just might do you good!" With that, Niki turned swiftly and left the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

After Niki had left, Sheldon looked over at his friends and sadly asked, "What now?"

Leonard stared at the now closed apartment door and answered dryly, "Well, off the top of my head I'd say I see an ad in your future: _Single white male, 49. 6'1", 165 lbs. Physicist. 187 IQ. Seeks single female with same qualifications._ Okay, just kidding, buddy. But I can tell you this, you are mistaking Niki's anger for her being uncaring and caustic and she is mistaking your focus on your feelings of frustration and loneliness for indifference or selfishness. And none of those are true. You guys need to talk to each other when you are both calm. Give her a few hours and then go to her."

Penny interrupted the two men with what she hoped was a better idea, "Listen up, you two. I'll go talk to Nik in a little while and see if I can calm her down." She pointed at her husband, "Then I'll have you, send Sheldon over." She then turned towards her husband's friend and began to speak in a calm, yet urgent, tone, "Look, Sheldon, you were both feeling resentment towards the other one and were not discussing it. Niki didn't like the way you were talking to her when you guys Skyped. Sheldon, you could have told her why that was happening, but you didn't. When you were nitpicking at her, you were just feeling resentful that she got to stay in Altadena and be home with Lori and you were really missing both of them terribly. When Nik got on your case about that, she should have been telling you that she resented being left with all the responsibilities of taking care of Lori, the business, and the research and that she missed you, too. Of course, she never bothered to talk to you about that, either. You two really need to sit down together and really listen to each other instead of taking offense and placing blame. You're both acting like kids, not like two mature people with a child".

Sheldon gave a long sigh and turned to Penny, "I suppose you're right. I have been a bit self-centered and never considered how much I have been hurting Niki. And I suppose she is guilty of the same thing."

Penny put a hand on each of his shoulders and looked Sheldon straight in the eye as she pronounced, "Look, you two are a pair of the most stubborn people I have ever met. I love both of you, but there it is. As far as being self-centered, yeah, you each are at times. Now, I want you to chew on this for a little while, are those attitudes in the best interest of your daughter? Is that how you two are teaching her to communicate with others? Think about it. I know you truly love Niki, Sheldon, and I know she truly loves you. So _, tell_ each other that. You two were too busy throwing blame around to say that. Not good, Wackadoodle. Not good."

Her friend's eyes lowered and he asked her in an embarrassed voice, "So, Penny, what are you going to tell her? That she needs to forgive my anti-social, egotistical ways?"

She gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze and replied, "Not at all."

"Then what will you say?"

Penny's eyes focused on something behind Sheldon's back as she muttered, "Something I'd never considered before."

Now his eyes met hers and he inquired, "And what would that be?"

The pretty blonde shook her head as if to bring herself back to reality and waved off his question, "Never mind. You'll know soon enough if it works. And I'm praying it does." She then addressed her husband, "Leonard, I'm going over to the hotel and bringing Niki back instead of having Sheldon go to her. Don't ask, I've got my reasons. I may be gone for a little while, but I have something to tell Niki I think she needs to hear, and she has something to tell you, Sheldon, that you need to hear." With that, Penny picked up her phone, called a taxi, and went downstairs to wait for it to arrive. While waiting, several thoughts ran simultaneously through her mind: _Why do these two keep hurting each other? They love each other so much, so why? And who needs to grow up, anyway? I have always assumed it was Sheldon, but now, I'm not so sure. I mean, didn't Nik know Sheldon could be like this when she married him? It seems that lately what used to amuse her now infuriates her. There's more to this than Sheldon communicating badly with her and I'm going to find out what it is. If my hunch is right, as Mary would say, these two will have a whole lotta talkin' to do._

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Niki Cooper burst through the door of her hotel room, breathing fire and shouting, "That bastard! That egotistical, rude, self-serving, bastard!"

Mary Hofstadter came out of the bedroom and addressed her daughter-in-law, "I take it Shelly has done something to ruffle your feathers?"

Niki nodded and gave a contrite reply, "I'm sorry, Mary. I know he's your son and everything…"

"Look, honey, nobody knows that boy better than me, I raised him and I know that sometimes he can try the patience of Job. So, sit here while I get you something to drink and tell me all about it. In the meantime, let's keep the volume down, I just got the kids to sleep."

Fifteen minutes later, Mary took one of Niki's hands in her own and told her, "I know my son said a heap of hurtful things, he wouldn't be Shelly if he didn't sometimes. But you got to remember this, he don't mean to be hurtful. It's just how he is. I know it's hard to take sometimes, real hard, but you're his wife and marriage vows mean you got to take the good with the bad."

"I know that, but why do I have to always be the one taking the bad while Sheldon gets off scot free?"

Mary cocked her head and asked her, "What makes you think you're the only one putting up with things you'd don't like?"

"Excuse me? What do you mean by that?"

At that moment, Penny knocked on the door and announced, "Niki Cooper, I know you're in there. You open this door right now. I have a few things I need to talk with you about. Now come on, get your behind over to this door and open it!"

Sheldon's mother laughed out loud and replied, "Honey, I think you're about to find out."

Niki approached the door and reluctantly opened it. "Penny, what the heck are you doing here?"

Penny put her hands on her hips and informed her friend, "Girl, we need to talk. Now."

"Look, if you're coming here to bag on Sheldon, I've already done that enough for both of us."

Leonard's wife immediately set Niki straight with, "Why would I bag on Sheldon? I'm on his side this time."

"WHAT?"

"You heard me, I didn't stutter. Now, are you going to invite me inside so I can explain myself or am I going to have to do that standing in the hall for the entire hotel to hear me?"

Mary gave a knowing chuckle and called out, "Get yourself in here, honey." To her daughter-in-law, she added, "Niki, there's no need to be rude to your friend. Now, go into that little room they call a kitchenette and get Penny here something to drink. Preferably a warm beverage."

Niki gave a wistful smirk and replied, "Sheldon always does that whenever someone is upset."

Penny entered the room and sat down on the couch, then commanded Niki, "I know, so get me a damn beverage. Hot tea will do, Lemon Zinger if you have any."

When Niki had set the tea in front of her, Penny took a long sip and began to speak, "Okay, Nik, talk to me. What do you think is the major problem that you and Sheldon are facing?"

Niki sat down next to her and began to speak, "We're not communicating well. He just doesn't seem to listen to what I am telling him, no matter how many times I say it."

Penny gave her friend a wry smile and challenged her, "That's part of it, but that's not the main problem you guys are having."

"Okay. If you know, please fill me in because I thought Sheldon's attitude was our biggest stumbling block." Niki took a long pause and added, "So tell me, what is the main thing we're not getting right?"

Penny took a deep breath and stated what she considered to be the truth of the matter, "Well, off the top of my head, I would say you're both very self-centered and overly concerned with your own feelings. You care more about how Sheldon has hurt you than how you have hurt him. And vice versa."

Niki pulled back from her friend and gave her a disbelieving look, "I've hurt Sheldon? Okay, Penny, now I'm truly confused. How have I hurt him?"

Penny looked pointedly at her friend and bluntly stated, "Nik, with that daycare comment you so carelessly threw out, you were pretty much calling your husband a child. I'll have to remember that one if I ever want to emasculate Leonard."

"Emasculate? Penny, how in heaven's name did I emasculate him? And you must admit, some of the things Sheldon does are pretty childish, not things that a grown man would do."

The pretty blonde's eyes narrowed as she challenged her friend's statement, "Oh really? Let's see. He does at least half the housework and the childcare in your home. You know what? That seems to me like something only a real man would do. And, he encourages and supports you in your teaching career, even though he can't understand why you like that at all. Teaching is one of his worst nightmares, yet he watches Lori, cooks dinner and cleans up afterwards on the nights you teach. Yeah, that doesn't sound at all childish, does it? Sounds like a pretty manly man to me. Then, he has worked hard and become a world-renowned physicist, and shared that with you as an equal. He has made sure you get the same respect as he does in the scientific community. He's a man that is actually proud of his wife's accomplishments and brains. Yeah, real childish. How dare he do that!"

Niki put up her hand and interrupted her bestie's truthful monologue, "Stop, Penny. I see your point. Now I feel like crap. The man's a gem and the one time he failed to be just that, I pretty much abandoned him. I've got to go to him. Girl, there's so much I must apologize to him about! How could I have been so arrogant and rude! I was doing the exact same thing I was accusing him of doing. Penny, let's go. I don't know if it's on any of the menu's in this city, but I think I'm due to eat a huge helping of crow right about now."

Penny nodded at her friend and responded to her words with, "Okay, let's go. But I am going to remind you of something."

"What's that?"

This time, Penny answered in a much kinder, supportive, voice, "Sweetie, Sheldon really, truly, loves you. Oh, sometimes when he's stressed he has a hard time showing it. But girl, that man loves you as much as a man can love a woman."

All the anger fled Niki's eyes and they grew soft and warm once more, "And I love him. I don't know what got into me. I'm not usually like this. Oh, I stomp my feet and get angry, but I seldom go for unwarranted personal attacks, that's not me. I'm going straight over to that apartment and tell my husband just how much I really do love him. I just hope he forgives me."

"Oh, I think he will. You and Lori are his world. He knows deep down that you love him as much as he loves you, but both of you have to do one thing to make this right."

"What's that?" Niki asked her as she rose from the couch and took their cups into the tiny kitchenette.

Penny got up and joined her, placing a hand on each of Niki's shoulders, much as she had done with Sheldon, "Talk to each other. No accusations, no shaming, no anger, just talk to each other and clear the air."

"Are you sure that will work?"

Penny grinned and nodded, "Guaranteed. Leonard and I do that all the time. It's how we have learned to settle our disagreements civilly. It took us a while to learn how, but we've gotten pretty good at it."

Niki set the cups in the tiny sink, hugged her friend, and headed toward the door, "Sounds like a good plan. Let me grab my bag and let's get going." She called over her shoulder to her mother-in-law, "Mary, thanks for listening, I really appreciated it. And whatever you were going to say, I'm sure I had it coming."

Mary answered her matter-of-factly, but with no rancor in her voice, "Girl, just go to my boy and tell him everything he needs to hear. I hope you two are done hurting each other, for Lori's sake if nothing else."

Niki now turned fully towards Mary and made a 'crossing my heart' gesture, "Trust me, I'm finished with all that. It's time I began fixing all the damage I've done."

"You're a smart girl, Niki. My money's on you and Shelly putting everything right by tomorrow morning. Now, you two get going. There's a lot of makin' up that needs doing, so you best get to it."

Penny looked down at her phone and began texting a message to someone.

Niki became curious and asked her, "Whom are you texting? Leonard?"

Penny briefly looked up and shook her head as she answered, "No."

"Well, then, whom?"

Penny put her phone away, grabbed her own purse and linked her arm with Niki's, "You'll see. Let's get ourselves downstairs, shall we? There's someone meeting us there you need to talk to."

 **Well, Penny seems to have straightened things out with Niki, but who is meeting the ladies and what is Leonard saying to Sheldon?**


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Family History

 **Our boys have a little heart-to-heart about the situation and Penny lends a hand.**

After Penny had left, Leonard sat down on the couch, looked up at Sheldon, and gave a resigned sigh as he declared, "Well buddy, you really did it this time."

Sheldon arched an eyebrow and answered matter-of-factly, "Really, Leonard. You must agree with me that Niki's temper got the better of her this time."

Leonard's eyes were like laser beams as he challenged his friend with, "You want the truth?"

Sheldon nodded resolutely and replied, "Of course. The worst truth is far better than the best lie."

"You more than had that coming."

Sheldon plopped down next to his fellow physicist on the couch and spat out an unbelieving, "WHAT?"

Leonard stared straight into his friend's eyes, inhaled deeply, and began to speak, "Let's take a little walk down memory lane, Sheldon. Since you've been here in Heidelberg, you've belittled your wife every chance you had until she finally had enough of it and stopped talking to you. Husbands and wives are supposed to support each other, not tear each other down."

The taller man sniffed indignantly, "It seems Niki did a fairly good job of that a few minutes ago."

Leonard gave a shrug of his shoulders and continued, "Hey, she learned from The Master. Sheldon, you were expecting Niki to read your mind and know what caused your lousy attitude. Now, the lady is smart, but she isn't _that_ smart. All she could see from her end is that every time she tried to be nice, you cut her down. You even insulted her research capabilities. How would you like if someone did that to you?"

Sheldon looked down his nose at his friend and answered him with a pompous, "Leonard, no one would ever insult my ability to do research."

His friend nodded and agreed, "No, they wouldn't. And before you got in your dirty little digs, that had never happened to Niki, either. And still, despite your nasty remarks, despite the rumors you were having a fling with another woman, despite the complete absence of an apology from you, your wife interrupted her life to fly halfway across the world to bring you something she thought was important to you. And how did you repay her? You told her that her efforts were unnecessary and then asked her if she felt silly doing all of that for you. It's a wonder she didn't give you a well-placed kick in certain sensitive regions. Buddy, you're my best friend, but I'm telling you, you acted like a complete jackass to the person who loves you the most. You hurt her and she fired back. Anyone would have done the same thing, maybe worse."

"Worse?"

Leonard gave a weak smile, conceded the point, and then went on to give his take on the events of the evening, "Okay, I'll give you that one. Niki's the queen of vitriol, but no one would have liked your attitude. No one. You were cold to her buddy. Real cold. Nik's a good woman. She's a great mother to Lori and a great wife to you. I think you owe the lady an apology and that's all I'm going to say in the matter."

Sheldon digested Leonard's words for quite some time and then responded in a voice filled with contrition, "You're right. I have been an ass and I do owe Niki an apology. A real one. I never meant to hurt her, but I know I have. Very much in fact. I remember the last time Niki ran out on me in anger was on that speaking tour shortly before our wedding. I was being self-centered and hurtful to her then, also. Leonard, I've got to try and somehow repair the damage I've done to our marriage, if that's even possible."

Leonard reached over and patted his friend on the shoulder, "Oh, I think it's totally possible. Sheldon, Niki loves you very much. That's why your words hurt her so much and I know you love her. Instead of all this back and forth insulting each other, why not say 'I love you', instead? It couldn't hurt. As you said, the truth is always better than a lie." Leonard then did something he had never done before, he went over to the mini-bar, grabbed a chilled bottle of wine, and poured his friend a drink. After thinking about it for second, he poured one for himself as well. He then walked over to his friend, handed him one of the glasses and told him, "I know you're not a big drinker, buddy. But right now, I think you could use this."

Instead of showing his usual peevishness at Leonard's offer of alcohol, Sheldon took the wine and downed it quickly, "If I ever in my life needed a drink, tonight is it." He then raised his mostly empty glass to his partner and added, "I thank you for your wisdom, Leonard. To us and our ladies."

Leonard gave his friend a bright smile in return and joined him in his toast, "To us and our ladies. Now, let's get ourselves ready for when our wives return."

Sheldon looked as though all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room as he asked, "Are you expecting doom, Leonard?"

The shorter man shook his head and reassured him with, "Nah. Penny's been talking with her. My wife has this gift for bringing out the best in people."

Sheldon put down his wine glass and pensively inquired, "Does she also have a knack for taming the savage beast?"

"Sheldon, stop. Niki is neither a beast nor savage. She was just a pissed off wife. Just talk to her, buddy. You guys will be fine…I hope."

Sheldon nodded slowly and replied in a soft voice, "I hope so too, Leonard. I hope so, too."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Meanwhile, back at the hotel…

Niki and Penny waited impatiently for their ride back to the university complex. Penny's anticipation kept her from sitting comfortably in the overstuffed chair in the lobby. She repeatedly got up and checked the street outside for a certain car and driver. Niki was far from feeling calm, as well. The penitent wife sat playing with her purse strap and tapping her feet in frustration, almost willing their ride to arrive. She felt an increasingly urgent need to get back to her husband and set things right, and the wait was not doing her stomach any good. Suddenly she bolted out of her seat and raced for the restroom in the lobby saying as she ran, "Excuse me, Penny. I'll only be a minute. "

Her friend called after her, "Sick again?" But Niki never answered her as she had disappeared from sight. A slight retching sound could be heard through the closed door. Penny shrugged her shoulders and went back to looking out the door, thinking to herself, _I guess that answers my question._

When Niki emerged from the restroom, she made a vain attempt to compose herself before Penny asked her in a concerned voice, "Don't tell me the schnitzel was bad, too. What's up with your stomach, Nik?"

Her friend wrinkled her nose and replied wearily, "I don't know what it is. I got a little dizzy and my stomach went south. I'm probably over-tired from the flight, the fight, and the war over who is right."

Penny looked at her girlfriend quizzically and demanded an answer "Okay, Nik. Now is not the time to be cute. What the heck is going on with you?"

Niki waved off her question, looked out the front windows, and focused her attention on the happenings outside of the building, "Nothing that a good night's rest won't help, I'm sure. Now, I see a car pulling up, is that ours?"

Penny's focus shifted to the vehicle parking right outside the double doors, "Oh, yeah. It is. Let's get ourselves over to the university apartments and if you aren't better by morning, I'm having Sheldon call a doctor."

Niki hurried to the door, calling over her shoulder to her companion, "Please, Penny. Don't be so concerned. I'm sure it's nothing. Now, can we go?"

The blonde beauty gave a resigned sigh and followed her friend, "Sure, girl."

As they left the building, they both went over to the vehicle parked in front of the hotel entrance, a light grey Mercedes sedan. Niki opened the passenger side door and was shocked to see a familiar face staring back at her. She looked at her companion and demanded, "Penny, what's Helmut doing here and did you have anything to do with this?"

"Sweetie, all questions will be answered after you get in the car, so let's go."

Feeling she had no choice, Niki sat down next to her cousin in the front while, once again, Penny made herself comfortable on the seat in the back and closed her eyes.

Before he put the car in gear, Helmut turned to his front seat partner and informed her, "Okay, cousin dear, listen up. I have some important things to say and I want you to just listen. You can have your say whenever I ask you a question and when I'm finished, but outside of those two instances, please listen to me. Do you agree?"

Niki looked at him like he had two heads and stopped him before he could say anything further, "I have to ask you, what is it you're going to talk about?"

Helmut exhaled through his nose and replied, "You, your mother, my mother, their mother, and how some puzzle pieces are coming together in my mind. Now, are you agreeable to hearing me out?"

Niki replied in a voice filled with uncertainty, "Sure, Helmut. I'll listen. But I can't guarantee you that I'll agree with what you say."

The usually stoic man's face finally broke out in a smile as he responded to her in a pronounced German accent instead of the slight one he usually affected, "That's the beautiful part, you don't have to. Whether you agree or not will be entirely up to you. This is not going to be a lecture, just some family similarities I have noticed and want to share with you. Now, may I begin?"

"Of course," Niki told him, her curiosity growing by the second, "please proceed."

"Very well, let me start with the person in all of this closest to me. When discussing my mother, you made the comment that she ran from her situations when they weren't what she had foreseen them to be. That is correct. But that is also true of everyone on the female side of your family. My mother ran from Milwaukee, ran from her marriage to my father, and ran from me. That is quite a bit of running, don't you think?"

Niki thought deeply for a moment and then agreed with him, 'Of course. She could have a shoe named after her. But go on."

Helmut pulled the car out into traffic and without taking his eyes off the road, asked her, "How much do you know about your maternal grandmother?"

Niki shrugged and fiddled with the heating vents on the dashboard, "Not a great deal. My mother seldom talked about her. She merely told me that her mother and father moved here from Germany before she was born."

"That is correct, as far as you know. My father knew a bit more than that and shared it with me.  
Back in Munich, your grandmother was about to be married to an older man of her parents' choosing. She was having none of that, so she eloped and fled to America with what she thought was her true love. A young local lad with connections in Milwaukee."

Niki tapped her cousin on the arm and interrupted him with, "Excuse me, Helmut. But the pictures I've seen of my maternal grandparents show my grandfather as being quite a bit older than my grandmother."

Helmut turned to her at the next stoplight and chided her gently, "Niki, let me continue. I was about to explain that to you. Anyway, the happy couple got to America and your grandmother, whose name was Alma, in case you didn't know, discovered that her Prince Charming was, in reality, a monster. He both physically and mentally abused her for quite a long while. Now, in one of those strange scenarios that life throws at us now and again, her parents came over from Germany to visit her. Their feelings of outrage had died and they truly wanted to reestablish a healthy relationship with their only daughter. The funny thing was, they brought along that older man she was supposed to have married. Why they did that we may never know, but they did. To make a long story short, guess who rescued young Alma from the monster and guess whom she fell madly in love with and spent the rest of her life with? Oh, and had four children with?"

Niki couldn't help grinning and replied, "Okay, let's see…that older gentleman that she was supposed to marry in the first place?"

"Correct. Now, on to your mother."

Niki eyes grew wide with panic and she cried out, "Wait, my mother ran from a bad marriage, too?"

Helmut sighed, and once again gave her a gentle reprimand, "No, not at all. Please, Niki. Let me finish. If you have any questions at the end, I will gladly answer them for you." Niki nodded her head in agreement and sat quietly, letting her cousin finish his tale of her family. As he spoke, her eyes grew wider and wider and her entire view of her place in the world was altered.

"Now, your mother had a very happy marriage to your father. White picket fence, three healthy and happy children, two girls and a boy. Of course, both parents were quite successful professionals, so they lived well. Niki, I must ask you, my father never told me what your parents did. What were their occupations?"

Niki smiled to herself at a long-ago memory and replied, "My father was a full partner with a Family Law firm in Pasadena. My mother was a high school teacher, she taught history and science. We lived in an upper middle-class neighborhood and I knew I was loved by both of my parents. Outside of having to live in the same home as my sister, I had a great childhood for the most part. At least it was great after my braces came off and I had corrective surgery on my eyes. No having to wear glasses or braces anymore was such a relief to me."

"Okay, that's nice. Now, we have established that your mother and father had a good relationship. That, from what my father told me, is true. But, that all changed when your father died. How old were you when that happened?" His eyes were a piercing blue as he asked her this.

"I was in my first year of college. I was seventeen. But he had been ill with cancer for several years, much like Sheldon's first wife, Amy."

Now it was Helmut's turn to be shocked by new information and he hastily responded with, "I didn't know Sheldon had been married before! We must talk more about that later. Anyway, back to your mother, when your father died, did your mother have a hard time with that?"

Niki admitted the truth of that question by replying, "Yes. She felt very scared and alone, so she moved back to Milwaukee to be with her family."

"And there she stayed for several years. Your mother didn't so much run from something as she ran to something, which would be her family back in Wisconsin. Am I correct?"

Sheldon's wife smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "I never thought of it that way, but I guess you're right. Though the argument could also be made that she ran from her pain."

When they stopped at the next light, Helmut's voice turned very serious and he began to make his final point, "And now we come to you, my dear. You tend to hide your true feelings when you are either annoyed or hurt until they burst out of you like a fire breathing dragon. At least, that's what Penny has told me."

Niki wheeled in her seat and gave her bestie an intense stare, which the actress did her best to avoid. "Penny, you said that? Oh my god!" Turning back around, she recovered her wits and resumed talking to her cousin, "Okay, I guess it's true. But I didn't run from my first husband when he cheated on me. Or when he died, I didn't run then, either."

Helmut was quick to correct her, "Oh, but you did. You ran from your feelings of betrayal when Paul cheated and you ran from your feelings of loss when he died."

"How did I do that?" an angry Niki asked him.

"You never confronted Paul about his cheating so you ran from that, threw yourself into your career, being the wife of a very successful man, and convinced yourself you had a happy marriage. When he died, you ran from your feelings of devastation and loss and straight to a liquor bottle."

Niki held up an index finger, "One question, Helmut."

His brows furrowed in anticipation as he inquired, "What is that?"

"How do you know all of this stuff? You didn't get all of it from Penny, I can guarantee you that."

"Penny has filled me in on some of it, and I also did some research on you after I left the apartment tonight, much to the annoyance of Anna. Anyway, here you are, running again. You ran into silence when you got angry at Sheldon for his attitude when you were Skyping. When that didn't work and Sheldon said something inappropriate earlier tonight, which you should be used to by now, your feelings finally erupted and, as you Americans would say, you 'ripped him a new one'. Niki, Sheldon had already explained to you why he acted as he did. You didn't really listen to him, you were too busy building a mountain of resentment towards him instead of showing him how hurt you were by his actions. Then, you went in for the kill and, guess what? You fired your salvo and ran once more. Niki, the female side of your family has a distinct propensity for running when things get tricky or tough. Don't you think it's time to end that pattern for good? Would you like to see your daughter doing this to herself or someone else? As your very astute husband is known to say, the worst truth is better than the best lie."

Niki suddenly understood all the implications of the phrase she had heard her husband use many times over the course of their relationship. The truth of that statement and the truth of her actions came together in her mind and she dropped her head into her hands and began to sob, "My god, your right, Helmut. I've run from or to something every time life got tough. And here I thought I was the strong one in my relationships. Between you and Penny, I've kinda been given a window seat to some very insightful, and not so flattering, things about myself."

Helmut took his hand and lifted his cousin's face to meet his. He then spoke softly and kindly to her, "Niki, I'm not telling you that Sheldon is perfect, far from it. I know that firsthand. He drives me crazy sometimes. But, his heart is in the right place where his family is concerned. He loves you and doesn't want you to run, but sometimes your reactions to things scare him and he shuts down."

Niki nodded soberly to herself and whispered, "And it stops tonight. I will do whatever it takes to make my marriage work for both of us. No more running."

From behind, Penny gave her bestie a giant hug, "Sweetie, I hope you're not mad at me."

Niki turned quickly and addressed her friend, "Mad? For heaven's sake, why would I be? You've just proven to me that you're the best friend I've ever had. You left your husband, who was very eager to have a wonderful private reunion with you, to come out in the dead of a German winter and help me with my problems. Penny, you and Helmut are the best!"

Helmut cleared his throat and spoke sincerely to her, "And so is your husband in his own unique way. Now, here we are at the hotel and here is your chance to put all your promises into action. Something tells me that Sheldon will be more than happy to help you."

Niki wiped her eyes and nodded in agreement, a smile finally gracing her face, "I think you're right, Cuz. Park this car and let me and Penny go up to see our husbands. Helmut, will you and Annelise please join us tomorrow for a tour of the castle? Unless you have a class to teach, of course."

Helmut gave her a broad smile and a hug while replying, "I do believe that both Anna and I are free the entire day tomorrow, or at least Anna is. I am teaching an evening class, but I do have the rest of the day until then quite open. We will be more than happy to meet you at your mother's hotel at, as Sheldon so succinctly put it, eleven sharp."

With that, Niki and Penny made their way into the building and up to their husbands' apartment. Penny exhausted and Niki tingling with anticipation.

 **Will everything go smoothly? Most likely, but I think our dear girl has a few things she needs to tell her husband.**


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Remorse, Reunion, and a New Beginning

 **Will Sheldon and Niki kiss and make up or are there more fireworks ahead for them?**

Not wanting nor willing to wait for the elevator, our two heroines flew up the stairs of the apartment complex to the fourth floor, and whether because of physical exertion or excitement, by the time they were standing outside the door of Sheldon and Leonard's apartment, both women's cheeks were flushed and their breathing was rapid.

Penny leaned against the wall and advised Niki, "Okay, okay, let's get ourselves collected here. We don't want to look like a couple of wild women when we go inside."

Niki stopped her panting for a second to reply with a hint of snark, "Speak for yourself, I'm a bit overdue for some wild woman action, myself."

The pretty blonde's eyes crinkled up and she replied with a giggle in her voice, "Easy girl. One step at a time. First, you two have to make peace and discuss this whole situation. Then, you can get as wild as you want."

"Right as usual, girlfriend. I just don't know how to break the ice."

Penny shook her head in disbelief and sounded off, "Girl, you've known Sheldon Cooper for over three years now and you've been intimate with him countless times, once almost in front of his mother. And now you're telling me you don't know how to break the ice with him? Come on, you two have been married just about two years now and have a daughter together. How much of a stranger can you be to each other? Nik, I'm not letting you run again, I used to do that with Leonard and it almost cost me the best man I ever met. I don't want that to happen with you guys. Let's just go inside and I'll take Leonard into his room and leave you and Sheldon to talk. Remember, conversation comes before sex in the dictionary."

Niki shot back with, "Well, using that analogy, coitus comes before conversation, so there."

Penny chuckled and advised her friend, "Sweetie, you have a brain that's rivaled only by the one of that genius husband of yours, so use it. Talk first, make up sex, later."

"You're right. I just hope neither of us says or does something stupid again."

Penny finally moved from leaning on the wall, smiled over at Niki and said, "Well, knowing the two of you, there's every possibility of that. But you still have to talk about this, okay?"

Niki nodded and also moved away from the wall and towards Sheldon and Leonard's place as she replied, "Okay. I get it."

With that, Penny opened the door and the two women entered the apartment. Sheldon looked up at his wife from the couch and she looked over at him from the doorway. Suddenly, they both bolted towards each other and wordlessly held each other tight.

"I'm so sorry!" they both eventually said in unison, as Leonard and Penny took that as their cue to quietly creep down the hall towards his bedroom.

Before things went any further physically, Niki remembered Penny's wise advice and gently broke her embrace with Sheldon, telling him, "Before we do anything else, I believe we should sit down and really talk to each other, as well as truly listen."

Her husband saw the wisdom in her statement, nodded, and took her hand, "Very well. Let's go over to the couch."

Once seated on the couch, Niki took her husband's hand and began to speak from her heart, "Sheldon, contrary to my outburst earlier today, I love and respect you very much and want us to be able to communicate with each other in a healthier manner. That way, there is a better chance that we will truly understand each other. We don't always have to agree with what the other person is saying, but we do have to listen and try to understand where they are coming from. This has to work both ways. I must keep quiet and listen to you until you are finished speaking and vice versa."

Sheldon's face held a look of concern as his grip on her hand grew a bit firmer, "But what if we don't understand the other person's viewpoint?"

Niki's mouth twisted into an amused grin as she explained to him, "Then we ask for clarification. Sheldon, we're both highly intelligent people. I don't think that understanding each other will be that big a problem."

He nodded and shifted his body closer to her, "Okay. I agree not to insult you or make you feel small ever again. And if by some chance I start to do that, please let me know."

"Of course, Sheldon."

He added in a somewhat hesitant voice, "One more thing, don't ever turn into the Hulk again. Well, you didn't turn big and green or anything, but you get what I'm saying."

Niki lowered her head as she responded to that, ashamed of her actions towards him, "I'm truly sorry about that, Sheldon. I know I must have hurt you very badly when I did that."

His eyes went wide in surprise and he pulled away from her hastily, "Hurt me? No. Niki, you scared me to death!"

A slight grin appeared on Niki's face as she asked him, "What, you thought I'd smash you or something?"

Sheldon moved back closer to his wife, put his arms around her, and kissed the top of her head, "No…I thought you'd leave me forever. I would much rather be smashed into a thousand tiny pieces than lose you."

There were tears in Niki's eyes and she snuggled closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder, "Awww…you'll never lose me, Schatze. Never. But, just the same, you have to promise to talk to me about your feelings. I promise you I'll listen and not go off on you. This whole situation could have been avoided if we'd both done that. I love you, I don't want to be the cause of your pain ever again."

"And I love you. Niki, hurting you was really the last thing I intended to do. I think I wanted you to see how much I was hurting, how lonely I was, so you could make it all better. I guess I didn't convey that message very well, did I?"

Niki looked up at her husband and kissed his cheek as she confessed, "And I was completely overwhelmed with everything and really missing you as well. I wasn't exactly lonely, but I came to the realization that Sheldon Cooper is really the heartbeat of both our little family and Pentagram and that both institutions just don't run nearly as well without him. I guess I was too proud to tell you that."

Sheldon had a confession of his own, "Niki, we're a team and I think it's high time we started acting like one. Let's have talks like this more often and do our best to keep our marriage and our business on track. Oh, by the way, I truly regret my comments about your researching skills. They are second to none. The data you sent me? Outstanding. And to think, you did all that amazing research without me. You are right about something, as much as I don't want to admit it, there is more than one genius in our household and facility and I'm looking right at her."

"Thank you, Sheldon. I know how difficult that must have been to say. But that has its upside. Consider the two of us together. Why, we can do anything we set our minds to!", Niki smiled broadly and declared with more than a hint of pride.

Sheldon pulled his wife even closer to him and kissed her with an intensity and passion that Niki hadn't felt in months. When finished, he pulled back and gave her an intense look, "I agree. Now, would part of 'anything' include going into my bedroom and making mad, torrid, love to each other?"

"Cooper, I thought you'd never ask."

As they entered the bedroom, Niki playfully inquired, "Sheldon, do you remember the first time we made love?'

Sheldon started off feeling the need to reiterate the fact of his eidetic memory to her when he suddenly caught on to her meaning and a seductive look came into his eyes, "What a silly question…oh wait, you are using that as a form of romantic foreplay. All right, yes, I remember it like it was yesterday. After our dinner together, you began to remove your clothing as you walked towards the shower. I do believe you also issued an invitation for me to join you."

Niki gave him a wicked grin and responded with, "That I did. Would you like to do a bit of recreating that scene?"

Sheldon walked over to his wife and began to nuzzle her neck, "Well, why don't you issue said invitation and find out?"

"Alright, here goes." With that, Niki began to walk towards the bathroom, once again removing an article of her clothing with every step she took. As on that long-ago evening, she called out over her shoulder seductively, "Care to join me?"

All her husband's senses were aroused, as she had fully intended them to be. After they had both removed the other's clothes, they stepped into the shower and, as before, began sensuously soaping each other's body. Soon, their excitement overtook them and they rinsed off any soap, exited the shower and headed for the bed, continuing their exploration of each other's bodies as they walked. By the time they had reached their destination, they were both more than ready to ramp up the intensity. Sheldon's hands, lips, and tongue thoroughly explored every erogenous zone of his lover's body. After he had left her shaking and satisfied, Niki returned the favor and explored Sheldon in a similar manner. When she was finished, she had left her husband incapable of speaking for a bit of time as he caught his breath.

Niki reached for Sheldon's hand and gave it loving squeeze, "I see our coital skills have not eroded over time, have they, Schatze?"

Her husband rolled over onto his side, propped himself up on one elbow, and stated matter-of-factly, "I do believe sexual prowess is like solving an algebraic equation using the quadratic formula. Once you learn how, it is a skill you never lose."

Niki pulled Sheldon down on top of her and gave him a quick kiss before stating, "That is a unique take on the situation, but considering the mouth it came out of, I will take it as an extreme compliment."

One of his hands began to slowly stroke his wife's hair, "Of the highest order, Freckles. Of the highest order. Do you realize the depth and breadth of my feelings for you?"

"I'm getting a good idea of it, but maybe you should show me again."

Sheldon returned to lying on his back, grinning at her suggestion, "In time, Dr. Horner, in time. I am not as young as I used to be. Perhaps we need to sit back and talk a bit before we undertake another round of coitus."

"I have no problem with that. In fact, there is something I really need to tell you."

He sensed the seriousness of Niki's tone, sat up and attempted to lighten her mood, "What is it? That you adore the perfection that is your husband?"

Niki also pulled herself into a sitting position and, once again, took one of his hands in one of hers, "Stop it, Sheldon. You know I do, the adoring part I mean. It's the perfection part that I'm having some difficulty wrapping my mind around." Noting the teasing look on his face, she continued in the same vein, "But you come close, very close. With a little fine tuning, you may yet achieve that goal."

They both began to laugh and turned back on their sides and wrapped their arms around each other, sharing an intimate moment that had nothing to do with carnal endeavors.

Niki eventually pulled away from Sheldon and whispered to both him and herself, "There is something I must tell you, though, Cooper." Seeing the alarm on his face, she quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, it's nothing bad. At least I _think_ it isn't."

Her husband gave her a worried look and sat back up in the bed, "Well, I suggest you tell me and let me be the judge."

Niki blinked, took a deep breath, and began to speak, "Okay, here goes… "

Suddenly, Sheldon's phone began to play Darth Vader's theme from Star Wars, signaling that he had an incoming call. He reached over to the nightstand, picked up his phone and answered it, _"Hello? Oh, it's you, Leonard. Why are you calling at this hour? Yes, we're fine. But couldn't that question have waited until the morning? The last time I heard your voice, it was while Niki and I were in the living room. Really, Leonard, you and Penny could have waited for us to leave the room before initiating coitus of such volume. The sounds emanating from your room brought back some old memories I'd thought I'd forever left behind me. Excuse me? What? You're not joking, are you? Okay, Niki and I will meet you in the living room in five minutes. This is indeed news I believe I should share with her. Goodbye._

Niki looked over at him, curiosity filling her head, "What was that all about?"

"Come with me, Niki, and you will soon find out." With that, Sheldon bounded out of bed, grabbing his robe as he did, any unspoken announcement from his wife far from his mind. Seeing as how the moment was lost, Niki left the bed herself, put on her own robe, and followed Sheldon out to the living room.

 **Well, our couple has made up just fine, but what did Leonard tell his friend and why is Sheldon in such a hurry to share it with his wife? And what was Niki about to tell him?**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Congratulations!

 **It seems Leonard has a surprise announcement for everyone. What could it be?**

Penny looked over her husband's shoulder and studied couple entering the room. She took note of their slightly flushed faces, the look of love being shared between them, and the series of very prominent love bites on both their necks, "I see everything is back to normal with you two, down to the numerous hickies you're both sporting."

Sheldon gave her an annoyed look, then went over to the refrigerator and withdrew two bottles of water from one of the shelves, "Penny, we didn't come out here to the living room to have you take stock of the aftermath of our hot, incendiary lovemaking. Besides, at least we didn't treat the two of you to a plethora of carnal sound effects."

Leonard stared over at his friend and corrected him swiftly, "Uh, yeah you did, buddy."

Niki's eyes went wide and she gasped, "We did?"

Penny couldn't help herself, she gave an audible giggle and teased her friend, "Yep. It definitely sounded like you two were having a good ol' time in the sack."

Sheldon handed his wife one of the bottled waters and took a seat on the couch, inviting her to join him with a pat of the seat cushion, "Leonard, Penny, I have never denied the fact the Niki and I have a most healthy and enjoyable love life, but the same can be said for the both of you."

Niki took a sip of her water and decided to change the subject, she was dying to know what Leonard had to say, "Guys, guys, let's stop all the talk about our sex lives and move on to why Sheldon dragged me from a nice warm bed out here to the living room." She looked questioningly from her husband to his friend, "What is it I need to hear so badly?"

Leonard was brought back to the matter at hand and decided to prolong the suspense just a little longer, "Oh, that. Well, Niki, you have a very good reason to be proud of Sheldon."

She looked at her husband and nodded, then answered, "I'm already proud of him, Leonard, but continue."

Leonard's chest puffed out a bit and he announced with a wide smile on his face, "Niki, Penny, your husbands are this year's winners of the Sakurai Prize."

"O.M.G.!" was all Niki could manage.

Penny was confused and looked to her friend for an explanation, "Nik, what's a Sak…whatever it is, Prize."

Niki looked in surprise from Penny to her husband, "Leonard, you didn't tell her?"

"Nope. He wanted to surprise both of us with this news. So, what is it?"

Sheldon cleared his throat and began to speak, "Penny, I didn't think you would know about this award, being as you are not a physicist, merely an actress." He patently ignored the dirty looks thrown at him by both women and continued, "Let me explain. The actual name of the prize is the J. J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics. It's one of the most prestigious honors a physicist can earn. I am quite honored that Leonard and I were chosen for this prize."

Penny nodded, a vague look still covering her face, "It's more prestigious than that Nobel you guys got?"

Niki grabbed Sheldon's hand and gave it a squeeze, she then proceeded to answer her friend's question, "It's in the same league, Penny. This is no small deal. The guys will even be paid to travel to Washington D.C. and receive this thing."

"Do wives and kids get to come? "

Leonard gave his wife a warm hug and reassured her, "Absolutely, we wouldn't do this without all of you."

Sheldon gave Niki a loving look and added, "To steal a phrase from my wife, we'll just bring the whole fam damily with us. And some friends, too."

Penny returned her husband's hug, "Sweetie, I'm so proud of you!"

Niki wrapped her arms around Sheldon and like Penny, sweetly congratulated her husband, "As I am of you, Schatze. Wow, a Nobel and the Sakurai! Both within two years! I don't know what to say."

Sheldon pretended a nonchalance he was far from feeling, "Niki, the usual word is 'congratulations'."

"Okay, smartass. Congratulations. Now, can we all go back to bed?"

Penny was too keyed up for sleep, so she asked, "And do what, guys?"

Niki made her way towards the hall, stopped, and addressed Penny's question, "Sleep. Have you forgotten we have to pick up the kids and Mary tomorrow morning and take them to the castle with us?"

"Oh yeah, we did say we'd do that. Okay. Goodnight, you guys. See you in the morning."

Sheldon turned back to his friends and reminded them, "We'll meet you out here in the living room at nine o'clock sharp."

Penny rolled her eyes, smiled in resignation, and set her friend straight, "Sweetie, give it a rest. We'll be out here sometime tomorrow morning before ten. Is that good enough for you?"

"I suppose we will all have to live with that." His focus then shifted to his friend, "Really, Leonard, couldn't you have picked a wife who's a morning person?"

Leonard put his arm around his wife and kissed her sweetly, "Nope. I wanted Penny."

Niki grinned and sided with him, "Good choice, Leonard. I don't know how any of us could do without her." She gave Sheldon a look which reminded him of how much their friend had helped them that evening. Once her husband had given her what she deemed the appropriate penitent look and apologized in his fashion with a quick, "I suppose I misspoke.", Niki said her goodnights with, "Penny, Leonard, we'll see both of you tomorrow morning."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Niki laid back on her pillow, a satisfied smile decorating her face. She felt very proud of Sheldon and very proud to be the wife of such an amazing man. To earn two of science's highest awards within two years of each other was an almost unheard of happening. But then again, Dr. Sheldon Cooper was not most scientists, or even most men for that matter. All the qualities that made Sheldon a bit difficult to understand and deal with at times also led to him being a brilliant physicist. His ability to think totally outside the box, his intense concentration that often led to him being uncommunicative for hours at a time, plus his idiosyncratic way of approaching his research, all made him what he was, the premier theoretical physicist of his generation.

And yet, Sheldon Cooper was so much like many other men in the world. He enjoyed playing video games and paintball, loved superheroes and comic books, adored spending time with his child, and he was a supporting and mostly doting husband. On top of all that, he was a loyal friend and devoted son. Niki wondered why Sheldon had chosen her to spend his life with, for on paper it seemed their personalities would never mesh smoothly. But Niki then quickly dismissed that thought. She came to the realization that for all their differences, they fit perfectly together, like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Her strengths shored up his weaknesses and vice versa. In response to that realization, Niki sent a silent prayer of thanks up to her Creator and resumed waiting for her husband to finish his shower and join her in bed.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Sheldon's voice cheerfully calling out from the doorway, "And what have I done, pray tell, to put that silly smile on your face?"

Niki looked over at him lovingly and responded to his query with, "You've just been yourself. Nothing else was necessary."

The lanky scientist gave his wife a teasing grin and challenged her, "Niki, I don't doubt you on that, but be honest with me. You were enjoying the thought of me winning the Sakurai with Leonard, weren't you?"

Niki decided that Sheldon needed an ego stroke right then, so she gave him one, "That may have had something to do with it. It isn't every woman who gets to be married to one of the world's leading theoretical physicists."

His grin went from teasing to lascivious, "May I take it that my winning that award has ramped up your libido a bit?"

Niki answered him in what she hoped was her most seductive voice, "Why don't you come over here and find out for yourself?"

The deal was done. Sheldon dropped the towel from around his waist and headed for the bed, "All right, my little vixen, I think I will."

Niki wrapped her arms and legs around her husband once he was under the covers and gave him a bawdy idea, "Schatze, why don't we give Leonard and Penny something to really talk about in the morning. I mean, we're alone, Lori is with your mother, so let's let our hair down and really make some noise."

Sheldon's mouth found hers and kissed her deeply and passionately before his eyes drank in the sight of his wife's naked body and his hands began to softly caress her breasts. As their breathing grew more rapid and raspy, he pressed his body close to hers and whispered, "That is an excellent idea. Let the party begin."

Down the hall, Leonard threw his pillow over his head and moaned, "Not again! How are _we_ supposed to get through tomorrow if _they_ don't sleep tonight?"

Penny sat up in their bed and wearily gave him a pointed explanation, "I suppose we brought this on ourselves, Sweetie. We both just had to mention that they were making too much noise earlier. If I know Niki, she took that one as a challenge. They probably aren't going to tone it down anytime soon."

Leonard joined his wife in sitting up and added, "Yeah, and Sheldon most likely saw it as another prime opportunity to annoy me. Well, it looks like sleep is off the table for a while."

Penny moved closer to her husband and started to run her hands over his chest, smiling wickedly as she gave him a randy suggestion, "We could always give them a little competition, you know."

Leonard's grin was wide and authentic as he took her in his arms, "That's my girl. Always coming up with brilliant solutions." And for the next thirty minutes or so, a wonderful time was had by all. Except for their downstairs neighbors who repeatedly pounded on the ceiling with a broom. Not that anyone noticed…

 **I guess you can't keep a good man, or men, down. Literally.**


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Castles in the Sky

 **The entire group tours Heidelberg Castle. Niki has a knee jerk reaction to some news.**

Penny Hofstadter took in the breathtaking scenery below and around her from the viewing terrace at Heidelberg Castle. She then turned her attention to the people around her. She specifically targeted her husband, Leonard, as he held up their small son so the boy could get a better view of the city below them. She thought to herself: _Every time I see Leonard and Blake together, I fall in love with that guy all over again. Thank God, I finally woke up and realized what a gem I had sitting right in front of me. I guess I owe that to Priya, though I'll have to give her that one grudgingly. Still, if she hadn't started up with Leonard when I stupidly ended things with him, I might never have seen how great life with my sweetie really is. He's an amazing husband and an even better father. Plus, together, we have created another life. Our son is the most adorable, loveable 'life' anyone has ever had. Yep, I got really lucky with Leonard._

At the same time, Nikita Cooper watched her husband, Sheldon, entertaining their daughter with tales of past emperors, princes, princesses, and other past rulers who had lived in the castle. As usual, Lori was eating up every last syllable of her father's stories. The look of adoration that the little girl was giving her father completely melted Niki's heart. Her thoughts then centered on her love for, and pride in, both of them. _Who would have thought three years ago that Sheldon Cooper would be such a doting parent? He adores his daughter and she idolizes him. I guess by watching them, I can now better understand how much Sheldon missed being with us and how lonely, frustrated, and sad he must have been the entire time he was here without us. Some men are playboys, some men are powerful leaders, and some are family men. I do believe my husband falls mostly into the latter category. He is very successful in his field, we both are, but he has discovered what is truly important in life, his family and friends. Yeah, I was very lucky to meet and marry Sheldon Cooper, especially now._

Mary Cooper interrupted both women's thoughts with words to her son, "Shelly, I'd really like to go inside sometime real soon. You and Leonard have been here a while and are used to this cold. Honey, we've all just come from California and for us, this weather is freezing!"

Sheldon paused his story long enough to answer Mary's request, "Just a moment, Mother. I haven't finished telling Lori about all the emperors, empresses, and princesses who have lived in this castle. Perhaps Niki or Penny would like to go inside with you."

Helmut's lady, Annelise, spoke up as everyone else stared uncomfortably at each other, silently searching the faces of the others for the appropriate reply, "Sheldon, maybe you can finish telling Lori the stories as we walk through the castle. If your mother is cold, a small child must be chilled to the bone."

Sheldon stopped his story and looked down at his daughter, "Are you cold, Princess?"

The little girl answered her father by nodding 'yes', and cooing, "But DaDa, I don't wanna go in. I like the story."

Her father planted a gentle kiss on top of the toddler's head and suggested to her, "Well, I can tell you the rest of the story as we walk through the castle. I know! We can return to the castle courtyard and make our way up to the restaurant. I do believe a nice snack would do us all a world of good."

Lori smiled up at her father and replied, "Okay, DaDa. Story and resraunt."

Father and daughter shared a loving look as, ever the perfectionist, Sheldon corrected Lori gently with, "That's restaurant, Princess. But yes, I will continue the story on our way to the restaurant."

When they were all seated in the restaurant, warming themselves with a hot beverage and some pastries, Niki and Penny began to plot the rest of their stay in Heidelberg.

Penny turned to Niki and started the conversation with an exciting adventure idea, "Sweetie, whaddaya say we visit Paris and do some shopping? Anna, you've been there. You've got to come with us and show us all the best stores and shops. Nik and I would love to get to know you better."

Niki took a sip of her coffee and grinned at her bestie, "Girl, that's a good idea, but don't we want to do some research on Helmut's mother first? I really want to help him find her."

Annelise spoke up and made a suggestion, or it could have been just wishful thinking on her part, "Perhaps we can do both. Maybe she's living in Paris?"

Penny looked over at Helmut's lady and gave a sigh, "Don't I wish! My bet is she's somewhere in Germany. Mary is right. A mother never wants to go too far from her child if she can help it. Tomorrow morning, Nik and I are going to go to the local courthouse and look up some records. Maybe Annelise would like to come there with us, also. Would you?"

When she replied to the pretty blonde, Annelise's voice showed a strong German accent, which was not always present thanks to her past voice coaches, "Oh, yes! I would love to help in locating Helmut's mütter."

Sheldon's wife turned to her cousin and made a request, "Helmut, think hard. Have you ever heard from your mother since she disappeared? If you have, where was she?"

"Only once." He looked up from his plate and informed her, "I got a birthday card from her when I was ten."

"Was it postmarked?"

He nodded quickly, "Yes, it was from Hanover."

At the mention of that city, Sheldon's face lit up and he eagerly squeezed his wife's hand, adding, "I have an idea. Niki, Hanover has one of the largest zoos in Germany. Why don't we take a couple of days off after the dinner and start our search there? Lori would love that!"

His daughter pulled at the neckline of Sheldon's shirt, "DaDa, we go to the zoo?"

Niki cocked an eyebrow in doubt and asked him, "Sheldon, won't the zoo be a bit cold for her in the winter?"

Helmut explained to her in a kind voice, "Do not worry, Niki. The winter is one of the best times to visit the Hanover zoo. There are special rides open then, and there is ice skating and even curling lessons. My father took me there quite often in the winter when I was a child. You would merely have to dress yourselves and the children appropriately for the weather."

After listening to Helmut's words, Niki warmed to the idea and announced, "Well, Sheldon, Hanover looks to be as good a place as any to start our search. Tomorrow, Penny, Annelise, and I will go to the library and courthouse and do a little research on both Hanover and Helga while you two wrap up your last lectures and get ready for the dinner. We will meet you at your apartment and go to the banquet from there. Mary," Niki looked over at her mother-in-law, "is Alfred coming tomorrow? If so, we will have to bring the children with us."

Mary shook her head and smiled, "Nope. He won't be here 'til the day after. I made sure of that so you young people could go and enjoy that banquet together. I'll watch the kids while you do that. After Alfred gets here, I'll be doin' a bit less babysittin', even though I love both these sweeties to death."

Blake and Lori spoke up, "We wuv Gamma, too!"

At that, all the adults broke up laughing until Leonard got a text which made him exclaim, "Whoa! Sheldon, are you sitting down?"

"Leonard, we are at a restaurant, of course I'm sitting down. Why do you ask?"

"Because I just got a very important text."

Niki looked over at Leonard's phone, read the message and went white.

Sheldon immediately noticed and asked his wife, "Niki, are you okay?"

"It's just, just, that message," she managed to croak as she grew even paler.

He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder and asked, "What about it?"

"I…they…we…every time…not now…" Niki got up from the table and ran for the nearest restroom.

Leonard grew concerned and asked, "What's got into her? Is she okay?"

Penny looked over at her husband, concern for her friend plain on her face, "I have a snarky answer to give you if I'm right, but I might not be. Sheldon, you better follow her and bring her back, then Leonard can tell all of us what the text said."

Niki's husband handed his daughter to his mother, got up from the table, sighed, and spoke to no one in particular, "Very well. I will return with Niki as soon as possible."

 **Why did Niki turn pale as a ghost? Was it because of the text message? Something else? Or both? And what did that text message say?**


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Keeping Mum

 **The context of Leonard's text message is not entirely thrilling news for Niki. Why? Read on.**

Sheldon crossed the dining room and headed down the hall towards the women's restroom. He paused outside the door, uncertain of the proper etiquette required in such a situation. He decided to stand like a sentinel outside and wait for his wife to emerge. His came to attention when he heard retching sounds coming from behind the restroom door. He began to panic, wondering if his wife had been hiding an illness from him. _Good Lord!,_ he thought, _We were just intimate last night and my tongue was exploring the insides of her mouth, among other places!_

When the door opened and Niki entered the hallway, Sheldon wasted no time in bombarding her with questions. "Are you ill? How long have you been this way? And can you please explain why you didn't inform me of this before we engaged in multiple rounds of coitus?"

His wife was taken aback and answered him tartly, "You can relax, Sheldon. I do not have a bug. Therefore, you will not catch anything. This is not a stomach virus, so slow your roll."

The tall physicist was completely baffled and inquired with a strong sense of caring, "Well, if you are not ill, what is causing your stomach distress? I could hear you vomiting profusely from out here."

Niki attempted to pass by him and head back to their table, "I ate some bad sushi on the plane. I'll be fine in a couple of days at the most."

Sheldon quickly maneuvered himself in front of her, blocking her progress, and continued his questioning, "But isn't food poisoning continuous? You seem to be fine now."

Niki stopped and let out a sigh as she explained her situation, "Sheldon, since shortly before we landed, I've had varying degrees of nausea. It never completely goes away."

Her husband wily countered that statement with, "You seemed fine during our lovemaking last night."

Niki disarmed him with a coy grin and replied, "Have you ever considered the fact that you are the Harry Potter of sex? Your magic touch made me forget all about it."

This time it was Sheldon who sighed and he surrendered his argument with the following caveat, "All right. I'll let it go for now, but if you're not showing signs of improvement by tomorrow, I'm calling in a doctor."

Niki nodded and decided to agree with him for the moment, "Fine. Let's go back to the others and hear what Leonard has to say."

Sheldon looked directly into his wife's eyes and stated, "You seem to know already. Does it concern the Sakurai Prize?"

She attempted to walk around him, failed, and conceded the point, "Indirectly. But it also includes me, which I'm not exactly thrilled about."

Sheldon grinned at her, knowing his wife could never resist his dimples, and teased, "I see you're not going to explain to me just what that message said."

Niki gave him a knowing smirk, resisting the dimples he had employed, and responded to his teasing with, "Well, since it mostly concerns you and Leonard, I think he should be the one to tell you."

"Very well." He linked his arm through hers and steered her back towards the dining room, "Let's get back to our group so I can find out. I do hope they haven't taken the award away from us."

His wife threw her head back and laughed out loud, "Fat chance of that! You won the Nobel Prize, remember? Nope, you guys are still the winners of the Sakurai. Now, let's get back to our family and friends before they think I died or something."

When they reached the table, everyone looked at Niki with concern. Penny was the first to speak, "Nik, are you sure you're alright? This is like the second day in a row you've lost your lunch or dinner."

The lady in question gave her friend a feeble grin, sat down in her seat at the table, picked up her water glass, and replied, "Relax, everyone. I'm just having a bout of food poisoning from something I ate on the plane. Nothing to worry about, honest."

Sheldon retrieved his seat, also, gave his wife another look of concern, and announced, "I'm just letting everyone know if this keeps up I'm calling a doctor for her. You really don't look well, Niki. You're pale and it looks as if you've lost weight." He quickly added, "Not that you needed to."

Niki waved them both off and attempted to change the subject, "Look, you guys, let's forget about my stomach for a bit, okay? I think you should all hear about that text of Leonard's. It's actually more important than the condition of my stomach."

At his wife's pronouncement, Sheldon's attention turned completely to his friend and the mysterious text message he had received, "I'd almost forgot about that. Yes, Leonard. What did that text say?"

"Okay everyone, it went like this. The three of us; you, me, and Niki, have been invited to go on another lecture tour. Sheldon, according to the text, you and Niki will talk about the work you've been doing since your gravity nullification discovery and buddy, you and I will talk about our superfluid paper."

The lanky physicist's face lit up like a Roman Candle, "That's wonderful! Leonard, where will we be going?"

The shorter man took a quick sip of his coffee and went on to explain, "Actually, we will be holding lectures on college campuses and in halls in some of the major cities in the United States and Canada. And get this, people will be coming to _us_ to hear us talk! We won't have to do as much traveling in each city as you guys did with Raj."

Niki looked worried and looked straight at Leonard as she asked him, "That sounds like an improvement over the last time. But how many cities and in what time frame?"

He looked back down at his phone and informed her, "Two cities a month for six months. Which cities we will go to is yet to be decided. It says the tour is being penciled in to start in early June. Don't worry, Niki. This won't be a ten day on, one week off, affair like last time."

Sheldon's wife looked down at her hands as she answered him, "Okay, but I'll be…"

Penny pounced on her friend's words and challenged her, "You'll be what? C'mon Nik, we need to know."

Niki smiled at Penny and winked, hoping to distract her, "Never mind. It's not important right now. What is important is…do you guys want to do it?"

Leonard was the first to speak up, "I've never had a chance to lecture to these kind of crowds, I want to do it. Sheldon?"

His research partner tried, and failed, to hide his excitement as he responded to his friend's query with, "Why not? It's extra money and, Niki, it doesn't sound like it will be anywhere near as grueling as the last tour we went on with Raj."

Niki peered at her husband over the top of her water glass and reminded him, "But Sheldon, I'm doing that six-week astrophysics seminar at Stanford this summer. Have you forgotten about that?" She caught site of his exasperated expression and added a sincere, "Excuse me, of course you haven't. So, how will we work that?"

Sheldon made a steeple with his hands and tried to reassure his wife, "I'm sure they can schedule the summer dates in cities close to Palo Alto, like San Francisco." He then turned to Leonard and asked, "Is this offer from Binary?"

His friend was quick to reply, "Well, they have had a hand in it, but the main offer came from the The American Physical Society. You know, the group that awards the Sakurai Prize."

Niki looked around the table at everyone seated there, knowing full well their decision would directly impact their families as well, "What do you think, you guys? Should we do it?"

Sheldon reminded her, "The money will be good, Niki. And our little facility _does_ run on money."

Penny looked at the three physicists and added, "It's only for a couple days a month. That's completely doable from both ends, you guys and the families."

Leonard finished his coffee in a single gulp and added, "I say we give this offer serious consideration. If we can all fit it into our schedules, why not?"

Niki's eyes had a far-away look in them as she replied in a small voice that was almost a whisper, "Yeah, why not?"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Forty-five minutes later, Sheldon and Niki walked into the university apartment after leaving Lori with Mary, Penny, and Leonard. After putting her purse down on the coffee table, Niki turned to Sheldon and shared something with him that had been troubling her, "I still don't know why we couldn't have taken Lori with us. With Leonard and Penny staying at the hotel, we have an extra room here for her."

Sheldon took his wife in his arms, kissed the top of her head, and then mildly scolded her, "Stop. Niki, you know everyone is concerned about your health. No matter how much you deny it, you don't seem well at all. Penny and Leonard took Lori because they want you to rest tonight. We have that banquet tomorrow night and it won't be the same if you are not in attendance. Plus, you girls have plans for tomorrow and Penny and Annelise just want to make sure you will be well enough to go."

Niki planted a kiss on her husband's cheek and explained her feelings to him, "I'm very touched by all of that, but I want us to have time together as a family. I know you missed Lori, too."

Sheldon's arms drew her in closer and replied, "And the both of us will pick her up and take her for breakfast before you get together with the ladies. After breakfast, Lori and I are going to have some father/daughter time tomorrow while you girls are out researching the whereabouts of your aunt. By the time Mary picks her up in the afternoon before my lecture, I will have spent quite a bit of quality time with my daughter. As far as family time? We have the rest of our lives for that, don't we Freckles?"

At the sound of Sheldon's rare use of the affectionate nickname he had given her, Niki melted further into his arms and sighed happily. "Yes, Schatze, we have the rest of our lives to be a family together. I do hope that stupid tour doesn't interrupt too much of that."

"We will both make sure that it doesn't. Perhaps we can bring one of our mothers along with us sometimes to help with childcare. That way, Lori can come with us on some of the dates."

Niki grinned up at her husband wickedly, "Or not. We will only be gone overnight twice every month. We could use those days for a little marital bonding, if you know what I mean."

Sheldon's lips headed straight for his wife's neck as he responded to her suggestion, "Marital bonding? Oh, you mean like this?"

Niki gave a soft moan, "I mean exactly like that."

"Would you care to continue the bonding in the bedroom?"

Niki's fingers began to trace hearts on Sheldon's chest, "Ah, two great minds that think alike. A girl could get to like you, Cooper."

His lips went back to her neck and he whispered softly into her ear, "I thought she already did."

Niki had been considering having a serious talk with Sheldon about her health, but his lips on her neck made her decide to put that off for a bit, "Hmmm…let me show you just how much she does."

Desire overtook them both as Sheldon took Niki's hand and led her down the hall, "Onward to the bedroom! We have some important marital bonding to do."

 **What's up with Niki? And will she ever tell Sheldon what it is?**


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35: A Shift in Powers

 **Everyone's favorite succubus is back. And she's brought a friend with her.**

Dr. Heather Powers sat in her living room, bored to tears, but too embarrassed to venture out beyond the confines of her apartment building. She was certain the entire university had by now heard of how Dr. Sheldon Cooper had gotten the best of her at his lecture. She drummed the well-manicured fingers of one hand on her knee and thought that there had to be some way of getting back at the pompous physicist. She had taken down men far more clever than Dr. Cooper in her day and she was not about to admit defeat in this situation. Heather Powers never lost! And she was very determined not to lose this particular chess game. Still, she knew somewhere deep inside her, it was probably better to call it a day with this man. She stared at the wall and became lost in her thoughts:

 _Well, old girl, there's no use dwelling on it tonight. From what I've heard, Cooper's wife is in town and that pretty much negates you even getting close to him. She will most likely be hanging on his arm for dear life at that banquet…wait…what if she never makes it there? Now I know Sheldon Cooper won't succumb to my charms, and at this point I don't think I could stomach it if he did. But would he go for…? Nah, forget it. He will be gone by next week and this whole incident will become a faint, if unwelcome, memory. But what if he found himself alone with…nah. The man is almost asexual. God knows where they got that kid of theirs from. Maybe Mrs. Cooper had a little fun on the side? Who knows? You know what, Heather? You are going to forget this moron ever existed and concentrate on finding your next victim. That's right. I'll forget Dr. Sheldon Cooper and look around for a new prize fish to cast my line at._

Suddenly, Heather's phone informed her she had a text. She was about to dismiss it, seeing as how it was from the university's news feed, but one name caught her eye: Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Heather decided to read on and it was then she found out about Sheldon and his cohort, Dr. Hofstadter, winning the Sakurai Prize. Rage filled her entire being until she was shaking. This was too much to take! First the man spurns her advances, then makes a fool of her at his lecture, and now he wins ANOTHER important award in physics. Heather hesitated for only a moment before she picked up her phone and placed a call.

 _Cari? It's me, Heather. Yeah, I know it's late, but listen up. Did you spread that rumor about me and Dr. Cooper at Oxford? What? No one was buying it? Oh, it was because of his reputation as a weirdo. Yeah, but he has a wife. What? People were saying that? Okay, get over here, pronto. I know you've only been here today, but this is important. Why? That big dinner for all the visiting professors is tomorrow night and I have a plan to put a crimp in the celebrations for Dr. Cooper and company. So, hurry over here. Yes, I'll have a drink ready for you. I have never seen you operate to full capacity without some form of liquid courage flowing through your veins. Okay. I'll see you in a bit. 'Bye._

 _00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000_

Thirty minutes later, Cari Irving found herself, vodka spritzer in hand, sitting next to Heather Powers on the couch in the would-be seductress' living room. She began asking her friend some pointed questions, "Okay, Dollface, spill it. Why did you have me come over here tonight and why haven't I been given a chance to get over my jetlag? I came here straight from a conference in Helsinki that was shaping up to be a prime hunting ground for men with both connections and money."

Heather narrowed her eyes and gave her visitor a mild reprimand, "Cari, sorry I interrupted your hunting expedition, but this is important. Did you hear about Cooper and his sidekick winning the Sakurai Prize?"

Dr. Irving's eyes went wide and she gasped, "No! They did that? What for?"

"Have you heard about that paper they wrote on how spacetime may just be the surface of a superfluid?"

Cari dismissed this announcement with a wave of her hand, "Hey, girl, that theory's been around forever. Why did they win for that tired old thing?"

Heather stared her friend straight in the eye and replied in a sober voice, "Because they PROVED it mathematically."

"Damn!" was Irving's only reply.

Powers nodded, "Yeah, damn. Anyway, everything seems to be going swimmingly for Dr. Cooper and I don't like it." She then asked Cari a question, almost pleading with her, "Can you please help me get a little payback?"

Cari's grin became as evil as Heather's, "Payback is my middle name. What's the plan?"

"I told you how Cooper humiliated me at his lecture."

Irving giggled, "Yeah, that was kinda funny."

Heather took immediate offense and spat out, "Hey, whose friend are you, anyway? Mine or Cooper's?"

Cari took a sip of her drink, then patted her friend's hand, "Relax, girlfriend. I'll always be your partner in crime, but you have to give the guy credit. From the way you described Dr. Cooper and what interviews with him I've seen, I didn't think he had that in him."

Heather crossed her arms and pointedly explained, "Well, it seems he did, and I had to run out of that room like a dog with my tail tucked between my legs. Girl, I want to make Cooper pay for that, him and that nerdball friend of his, Hofstadter. They both need a good dose of the Powers of Revenge."

Cari thought for a short time, placed her drink down on the coffee table and gave a small grin, "Okay, I feel sorry for both of those guys already. But I'll still help you. I need to have a little fun. Life's been too quiet lately."

"Okay. I told you about the banquet they're holding tomorrow night for all the visiting professors, right?"

Irving nodded, "Yeah, that's why I'm here. You wanted me to spread that rumor about you and Cooper at Oxford. The only problem with that was that the guy has the reputation of not only being pretty much asexual, but the only woman he's shown even the tiniest bit of naughty interest in for years is his wife, Dr. Nikita Horner."

Heather leaned in closer to her friend and made a heartfelt request, "Tell me more about his wife, Cari. Is she beautiful? Have you seen any pictures of her? I told Dr. Cooper I went to one of their lectures a couple years ago, but the truth is, I lied. Lectures bore me to tears. But it seemed like a good story to tell him at the time."

"You never met him before he came to Heidelberg?"

Heather gave a decisive shake of her head, "Nope. I haven't seen his wife, either. I want to know what I'm up against. All Cooper said about her is that she's brilliant, good in bed, and has a bit of a temper."

Cari nodded and answered her with, "I've seen some pics and a couple videos of her and from what I can tell, she's about your height and weight, you guys have pretty much the same color hair, too. But it's her eyes that set her apart."

Powers questioned Irving sharply, "Her eyes? Are they dark and mysterious? Green and sparkling? What?"

Her friend gave a detailed reply, "Neither. They're a really, really, light grey color and her irises and lashes are dark, real dark. I wouldn't call her a stunner, but she has a look that captures everyone's attention. I've seen her walk, too. She's like a cat, real graceful, like a dancer. Oh, another thing, her smile is kinda snarky, like she's in on a joke that only she knows. All in all, she's got something that makes her pretty unique."

"That's all fine and good, but how do her looks compare to mine?"

Cari gave an exaggerated eye roll and addressed Heather's question as honestly as she could, "Oh geez. You had to ask that, didn't you? Okay. You're a mix between sophisticated lady and tawdry temptress, very interesting. Cooper's wife is a mix of brainy girl-next-door and teasing seductress. You both have a look that sets you apart, but they're completely different looks."

Heather challenged her, "Are you saying I can or can't compete with Dr. Horner?"

Irving sighed and continued with an in-depth explanation that she hoped would set the matter straight, yet not hurt her friend's ego, "Can't, but not because you're not as attractive as her. It's just that you each would interest a different type of man. Your look advertises 'sexy, sophisticated, socialite' and her look screams 'brainy, sensual, scientist'."

"Interesting comparison, girlfriend. I do come from money, but I've been on my own since Daddy disinherited me."

Cari gave her a sly grin, "Well, you did sleep with his best friend."

Heather reminded her friend in a voice that showed her pride in the accomplishment, "Who was extremely loaded, in case you forgot. You know me, I always go for the dough."

"And that worked pretty well, until they both cut you off. Since then, you've had to fend for yourself. Not that you've done badly, you're not hurting at all now. Dr. Cooper has some money, but he's not in your usual league. So why did you go after him? Prestige? I can see that. Or was it something else? What gives here?"

Dr. Powers seemed to look past her friend and into another dimension, "I've been thinking hard about this, Cari. I've decided I'm not quite finished with my attempts to ensnare the good Dr. Cooper. And, yes, the prestige is part of it. But I also hate being turned down. I want to have one last shot to win with him."

Cari nodded in complete understanding and asked Heather a sincere question, "And what did you have in mind to set up that 'one last shot'?"

Powers' eyes again focused on her friend and grew bright as she threw out the following question, "What if Mrs. Cooper was out of the picture? Do you think Dr. Cooper would take a tumble with me?"

Heather's confidante shrugged and replied, "Maybe. I don't know. Why don't you ask Cooper? He's the only one who truly knows."

Powers rose from the sofa and went to refill her drink, "Very funny, Cari. The man and I are no longer on speaking terms. But…look, are you still in touch with Hugo?"

Irving held up her glass to be refilled, also, "You mean Hugo from Prague?"

Heather busied herself pouring them both a fresh glass of their preferred cocktail as she answered her friend's question, "There's another Hugo who handles our, shall we say, unsavory business dealings?"

Cari's replay was short and contained a warning, "Yeah, we still keep in touch. But honestly, Heather, I think you should leave this one alone."

Heather returned to the living room, sat back down on the couch, and handed her friend her drink, "Look, no one is going to get hurt this time. I just need Cooper's wife to go missing for a little while."

"I know I'm going to be sorry I asked this, but why?"

Power's reply to that was intentionally vague, "Let's just say I want the man all to myself during that banquet."

Irving gave Heather a confused look, "But won't people notice Mrs. Cooper isn't there?"

Heather took a sip of her mojito and responded with, "Of course. And this is where you come in; I want you to spread another little rumor for me. Let it be known that Dr. Cooper's wife is missing because she's a bit busy with another man. Can you do that for me?"

The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together for Cari and she gave a small chuckle, "Sure. I'll have Hugo handle the 'missing' part while I do my own brand of dirty work."

Heather leaned back with a satisfied grin on her face, "Good. Now, I know Cooper and Hofstadter are set to give their last lecture tomorrow afternoon. I want you to send Hugo a picture of Dr. Horner and let him wait outside her hotel, he'll know how to discover which one she's staying at. We'll let him handle it from there. Just stress that no one is to get hurt, okay?"

"Okay. I'm on it girlfriend. Now, can I go home, make the phone call to Hugo, and then go back to sleep?"

Powers gave a nod and pointed out the time constraints to her friend, "Sure, do that. But hurry. Hugo has to have everything set by tomorrow afternoon." Heather gave an evil laugh and ended their conversation with, "I can see us having a very busy day tomorrow."

 **Who is Hugo and what is Heather planning to do to Niki? It can't be good. This is NOT a nice lady.**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36: A Slight Change in Plans

 **Our ladies begin their search for Aunt Helga, but run into a little setback.**

After returning to the hotel from a leisurely breakfast, Niki Cooper waved goodbye to her husband, his best friend, and their respective children as all four of them, fathers and offspring, went out to have an adventure discovering Old Heidelberg. Smiling to herself, she entered the hotel and walked toward the elevator, eager to begin the search for her aunt. Niki pushed the button for the fifth floor and waited for the door to reopen at her destination. Once in the fifth-floor hall, she made a sharp right turn and headed for room 532, where Penny and Annelise were waiting for her to arrive.

After knocking on the door, Niki was greeted with, "Come on in, girl!" and she knew Penny was up and ready for their day's excursion. Sheldon's wife entered the expansive suite, dropped her purse on the floor, and took a seat on the couch, cheekily greeting the other two women with, "Okay, the party can start now. I have arrived!"

Niki heard Penny Hofstadter give a hearty laugh as she emerged from one of the bedrooms, "I don't know about any party, but if we leave for downtown pretty soon, we should get back in plenty of time to get ready for that big dinner thing the university is throwing tonight."

Niki kicked back and grinned at her friend in response, "That makes sense." Her look then turned serious and she asked both ladies, but looked directly at Annelise, whose small stature reminded her so much of her friend Bernadette, "I suppose we should get going, but where to? I mean, where do you go in this area to look up a person's whereabouts or past addresses? If we were back in California, we would either use a computer or pay a visit to the Hall of Records, but where do we go here in Heidelberg?"

Annelise leaned against the wall, took a sip of her coffee, and answered with a succinct, "The Rathaus."

Penny's wheeled toward Helmut's tiny girlfriend and she asked her in a puzzled voice, "Why would we go to a rat house?"

The petite actress giggled at her new friend's faux pau and explained to her, "Not rat house, Penny, the Rathaus. It is much like your American Hall of Records. In Heidelberg, it is the central office for information about the city and its people. You can find birth, death, and marriage records there, as well as other information, such as last known addresses. If it were up to me, we would start our search there."

Niki looked over at Annelise, smiled warmly, and told her, "Seeing as how you're the expert on how things of this kind are done around here, I nominate you to be the leader of this expedition."

Penny quickly chimed in, "I second that!"

Helmut's lady nodded at the other women and replied, "Then may I suggest we leave very soon?"

Twenty minutes later, all three women were walking together towards the Rathaus, eager to find any information they could about Helga Hoffman. As they walked, Annelise began to ask them some personal questions to both pass the time and to get to know Penny and Niki a bit better, "Penny, I remember working with you in Pasadena, but I never really got to know you. So, can you tell me more about yourself and how you met Leonard? He seems to be a great guy."

Penny preened at the praise the young woman had given her husband and answered happily, "Sure. As long as I can remember, I've wanted to be an actress. So, I moved from Nebraska to California to make my 'dream' come true. I met some really awful men, including one named Kurt, who I'm ashamed to say I stayed with way too long. Anyways, Kurt and I broke up and I moved to Pasadena where my neighbors across the hall were Leonard and Sheldon. I worked as a waitress while I auditioned for every part I could get my hands on. I wasn't very successful as an actress at that point, believe me. Still, I kept on trying. Leonard was becoming my best friend at that time. He was always supportive, on my side, and he'd do just about anything for me.

Annalise appeared eager to hear the rest of Penny's story, so she asked her, "Is that when you fell in love with him?"

Penny slowed her pace, turned towards Annelise, and shook her head, "Hardly. I kept him in the friend zone for a long time, it was safer that way. He wasn't like the douches I generally dated and that scared me. He wasn't a jock or a musician or anything cool like that, he was a scientist, and not even a cool one like a doctor or something. No, he was a physicist. And he wasn't tall, dark, and handsome, either. He was short, nerdy, wore glasses and hung out with some weird friends of his that were as nerdy as he was. For a long time, I didn't even know what he really did. Sad, huh?"

The younger woman looked at her in disbelief, "You didn't know what a physicist did?"

Penny lengthened her strides, as if to escape the embarrassing memory, "Nope. I just knew he used a lot of long words and hard math I didn't understand. But, I finally decided to give Leonard a chance and we dated for a while until we broke up."

"Why did you break up?"

Penny came to a full stop, sighed, and decided to tell the truth, "He told me he loved me."

Annelise could not believe what she had just heard, "What?"

The older actress hurried to explain, "Yeah, I know, it sounds pretty stupid now, but please remember, I was scared of getting hurt again, especially by the nicest guy I had ever met. Plus, I didn't know where my life was going, so I sure didn't want to tie myself down to someone when I didn't even know who I was yet. Can you understand that?"

Annelise thought for a moment before she replied, "A little bit. But you knew you were an actress, that was something."

Penny gave a small chuckle and replied, "Well, I didn't really know that. I hadn't had any real success at it, so I thought that maybe I would be a waitress all my life. That was scary."

Annelise nodded in understanding, "So, you pushed him away."

"Exactly. Until he got a new girlfriend. Who I thought was prettier, smarter, and more accomplished than me."

The younger woman gave an inquisitive response, "Was she?"

At that point, Niki gave an emphatic, "Hell No!"

Penny looked over at her friend and gave her a sly smile, knowing full well the reason for her hatred of the lady in question*, "Okay, Nik. You can tell her that part later. Let's just say she was more accomplished than I was and leave it at that." *The Assistant Conundrum: Chapter 55

Annelise continued with her questioning, "Was she pretty?"

Niki chimed in once more with, "Not as pretty as Penny, nowhere near."

Penny threw her friend a look of appreciation and continued, "Thanks, Nik. But most people would have called her very attractive. She was slender and very exotic looking, she was from India. I mean, even her voice was sexier than mine. Anyway, she ended up not being a very nice person and Leonard broke up with her. Sheldon and Niki both hate her with a passion, for different reasons which are both legit. Anyway, Leonard and I finally got back together and were finally happy. I quit waitressing and became a pharmaceutical sales rep, thanks to another friend of ours, Bernadette, who you kinda remind me of. You're small, like her. And you look a little bit alike, except that she's very blonde and wears glasses while you have light brown hair and are glasses free. Still, you do remind me of her."

Niki nodded in agreement and told the young woman, "You really do. That's the first thing I thought of when I met you, that you looked a lot like Bernie."

Annelise was unfamiliar with the nickname and asked her, "Bernie?"

Penny explained the name for their new friend, "That's what we call her. Kind of like how Helmut calls you Anna, not Annelise."

"Oh, I see. You guys can call me Anna, too, if you like. I'm pretty used to it."

Penny looked up and down the street as she responded with, "Cool, as long as you don't mind."

Annelise joined her friend in looking around, despite not knowing what she was looking for, and answered with a simple, "I don't mind that at all."

With that issue settled, Penny resumed her story, "Okay. Now, back to Leonard and me. I proposed to Leonard, not the other way around."

"Why? Was there any special reason behind that?"

Penny stopped her search of the area and smiled over at Annelise, "Yep. He had proposed to me quite a few times and I always turned him down, like I said, I was pretty stupid at the time, or maybe just not ready for marriage. Anyway, I proposed, he said yes, and we got married in Las Vegas first, then at home with all our friends there. It was sorta cool. Except…"

"Except what?" Annelise asked her, curious about Penny's hesitation.

Leonard's wife looked over apologetically at Niki and stated, "We lived with Sheldon."

Helmut's lady was not understanding Penny's angst and asked, "Why was that a problem? He seems like a great guy, at least from what I've seen of him."

Penny gave both women a wide grin and continued, "Yep, he is. Now. Nik got herself a good one. I'm proud to say I had a hand in that, too."

"You did?"

Niki gave Annelise a quick explanation, "Yeah, she sort of kept insisting I date him. At that point, I really liked him as a friend, not a lover, but that's another story. Let's get back to Penny."

Penny once again began looking around her, but continued her tale, "Okay. Anna, the Sheldon you have met is pretty removed from the Sheldon we lived with at the start of our marriage. Let me explain that to you and tell you how I got back into acting…"

Ten minutes later Annelise stared at both women and exclaimed, "That's quite a story. So, Penny, you guys are happy now?"

"Very. I know I couldn't have done better than Leonard. We're crazy in love and we have a son we both are crazy in love with, too."

Anna made an honest observation, "He's very cute."

Penny gave her friend an appreciative look and proudly stated, "Leonard says Blake really scored in the gene pool, that he has my looks and his brains. He does, too."

Niki added, "That isn't all, Anna. Blake's a real sweetie as well. Lori is crazy about him. They're best friends. Or as much best friends as two toddlers can be."

Annelise turned to Niki and complimented her child as well, "Your daughter is very pretty, too. She looks just like you, but she has Sheldon's hair."

Niki agreed, "Yeah, she does." She then pointed out to the others, "Hey, that taxi is stopping for us. What do you guys say we cab it over to the Rathaus?"

Penny was all for it, she had been looking up and down the street for a cab while she talked, "I'm there. I know the Rat House is close by, but I stupidly wore heels today and my feet are killing me."

Niki joined in with, "I wore flats, so my feet are fine, but I'm really tired. I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night."

Penny gave her friend a wicked wink and asked, "Oh, would you care to tell us why?"

Niki's answer was resolute, "No, Penny. That's private."

Leonard's wife looked towards Annelise and informed her, "I think we all know why. You might find this hard to believe, but Sheldon Cooper is a real horn dog whenever he's around Niki. And she is very happy to oblige him."

Annelise grinned and then replied with a giggle, "That sort of reminds me of Helmut. He looks very cool and detached most of the time, until we are alone. And then…watch out!"

Penny nodded, "Yep, that's the Coopers to a T."

Niki attempted to put an end to that particular conversation by telling other two women, "Okay, enough about my love life with Sheldon, let's get into the cab. He's not going to wait forever."

Penny nodded to the cab driver and began to walk briskly towards him, "Good idea. Let's go."

As they couldn't all fit in the front, the three women settled themselves in the back seat of the cab as Annalise told the driver, "To the Rathaus, please."

The driver nodded, started the cab back up, and headed down the street towards their destination, until he turned down a small side street.

Hey!" Penny called out. This isn't the way to the Rathouse! She looked over at her German friend and asked, "Is it?"

Annelise shook her head and reached for the door handle, which mysteriously wouldn't work. Panic set in and she asked the man in German, "Was machst du da?" *What are you doing?

A clear partition of bullet proof glass came up from the front seat and separated the women from their cabbie. A growling voice speaking perfect English with a strong eastern European accent was heard coming from the speakers in the back of the vehicle, "Relax, ladies. We are just taking a little detour. Behave yourselves and no one will get hurt."

 **I think our girls are in a little bit of trouble. How will they get out of this one?**


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: The Best Laid Plans…

 **Our guys are getting ready for the big banquet. But where are their wives?**

It was after four o'clock in the afternoon and Sheldon and Leonard had just finished the last of their lecture series. Feeling both relieved and somewhat melancholy that their adventure was close to ending, they made their way back upstairs to their apartment.

Leonard put his satchel on the floor next to the coffee table, looked down at his watch and grinned at his friend, "The girls should be joining us soon. Once they get here, we can make our way over to the banquet hall."

Sheldon nodded, looked at the wall to check the temperature on the thermostat, and then replied, "Yes, I expect them any time now. Leonard, I have a plan. Let's take our showers now and then keep ourselves busy getting ready until they get here."

Leonard agreed with him, which wasn't a common event, "That sounds good to me. So, who goes first?"

Sheldon made a sweeping gesture with his hand, "You may go first, Leonard. I want to work on my 'thank you' speech for a few minutes."

The shorter man gave him an annoyed look and asked, "What's wrong with just saying 'thanks for having us. It was great'?"

Sheldon crossed his arms on his chest and looked down his nose imperiously as he replied, "Need I remind you that we are both celebrated physicists? Our public deserves more than a few trite words."

Leonard replied to that with an annoyed wave of his own hand, "Sheldon, if any of the people who will attend this affair had wanted to hear us talk at length, they already did. At our lectures. Look, our work here is done, our contract has been fulfilled, we're done. Let's just say 'thank you' and gather our wives and kids and head home."

Sheldon acted almost affronted as he reminded his cohort, "Have you forgotten that our wives are determined to find Helmut's mother? Though God knows, with our wives in charge of the production, how long that particular endeavor will take."

Leonard cleared his throat, "Ahem, she's your wife's aunt, too. So, you may want to hang around for that."

Sheldon gave his cohort an insulted sniff, "I never said I wasn't. I have every intention of doing just that, but if you and I get involved, the search for Niki's aunt shouldn't take long at all." With that said, his mood brightened considerably as he added, "Then we can all head home and check on what Wolowitz and Koothrappali have been doing in our absence."

Leonard gave a deep sigh and headed down the hall, "Whatever, Sheldon. Right now, I'm headed for the shower. I kind of like the idea of getting all spiffed up for our wives."

Sheldon trailed behind him and called out, "And all of our associates in academia, also. I'm sure Binary will be quite pleased with the show we will both put on."

The bathroom door shut and a muffled, "Whatever, Sheldon." was the end of the conversation.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Meanwhile, back in the cab…

All was silent in the back of the cab for a bit, until Penny asked the group, "Now what? We don't know who this guy is, why he's kidnapped us, or where we're going."

Annelise then inquired in a serious voice, "Are either of you two massively wealthy?"

Niki looked over at the tiny actress and replied matter-of-factly, "Not that I'm aware of. I mean, Sheldon and I do pretty well, but our net worth is well under three million, even if you include the business."

Penny sadly confessed, "Leonard and I are worth even less. We're not broke by far, but the Coopers are way richer than we are."

Annelise nodded her head, then spoke in a far-away voice, as if talking to herself, "Then this will not be an extortion plot, which can happen in Europe."

Niki was quick to correct her, "It can happen anywhere. But Sheldon and Leonard are two acclaimed scientists. Maybe that has something to do with this."

Annelise then became the pragmatist, "Who the general public has never heard of. Be real, most people would draw a blank if asked who either of your husbands were. The scientific community knows of them, but they wouldn't shell out big dollars to get their wives back to them. And neither of those groups would have the faintest idea of who Helmut is." She paused and then continued, "If it was extortion from the science community this guy and his people were after, they would have taken your husbands, not you guys. And they would have never even looked at me."

Penny blurted out, "His people?"

Helmut's lady nodded and responded with her take on the situation, "Yes. I've been in a few plays that centered on the disappearance of someone and I'll tell you this, very few people draw up a plan for a kidnapping on their own. No, I can almost guarantee you that this guy is being paid by someone else."

Niki interjected, "Wait a minute, You and Penny are pretty well-known actresses. Maybe that's a part of this."

Annelise gave a resigned reply, "Not likely, Dr. Horner, we mostly act on the stage. We are not famous film or television stars. Few people in Europe know who Penny is and even fewer citizens in the States have ever heard of me. So, I think that theory, though flattering, holds no promise."

Niki thought on that pronouncement for a moment and then asked soberly, "So…what do we do now?"

Annelise's answer was short and to-the-point, "We do exactly what the man said. We behave ourselves, but we also keep our eyes and ears open."

Penny leaned back and closed her eyes in resignation while replying, "Got it."

Niki, however, had a different response. Her eyes grew bright and she smiled at Annelise, "Okay. That sounds like a plan."

As the ladies could not see out of the darkly tinted windows, the three of them sat back and contemplated their next moves, which would all depend totally on what transpired once they reached their mystery destination. After approximately fifteen minutes, the cab came to a stop and one of the back doors opened.

The same Eastern European voice announced, "My ladies, we have arrived."

Where they had arrived at was still a mystery to the trio. All any of them could make out was that they were in a basement parking garage and that their kidnapper now had another accomplice. A short, rather stocky man who, judging by the vacant look in his eyes, seemed to have more muscle than brains. Before any of the women could ask any questions, they were herded quickly into an elevator that took them to what they guessed to be the seventh floor. When the doors opened, the ladies were once again shuffled along down a short hallway and led into a rather large, empty, room.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Niki demanded of the tall man who appeared to be the leader, "Where are we and what is this all about?"

Hugo Fronek would have been considered a very handsome man if there had been any trace of kindness or humanity in his face. As it was, the only things the women could surmise were that the man was of good height, unfailingly polite, and as cold as a slab of granite. He presented all these qualities as he answered Niki with, "All in good time, my dear. For now, please have a seat."

Niki surveyed the room and made the observation, "There are no seats."

The smile that graced Hugo's face made all the ladies' blood run cold, "Oh, it seems you are right, my darling, there are not. Well, that means we have no chairs to tie you to as a means of containment. Therefore, I'm afraid we will be forced to have you sit on the floor and bind you all together." He added, "I am truly sorry for this inconvenience," though his face belied his words.

It was at this point that Penny spoke up, "Excuse me? We all have somewhere to be in a few hours."

Hugo shrugged and checked his phone before answering, "What a pity you all will fail to make that engagement, but such is life."

Annelise had reached her breaking point and she snapped at him, "Hast du nicht alle Tassen im Schrank?"

The tall man merely rechecked his phone and then answered her calmly, "My dear girl, I speak several languages, but German is not among them. Could you kindly repeat that in either English, Italian, French, or Czech?"

The actress' eyes narrowed, and she spat out, "Very well. I merely asked, 'ARE YOU CRAZY?' If we don't show up for our previous social commitment, there will be people out looking for us."

Hugo crossed the room and retrieved a long length of coiled rope. As he returned to the group, he gave an evil smile and replied, "Let me reassure you fine women, by the time they will begin looking for you, the event will be long over and you will have all been released unharmed." He then added threateningly, "Unless, of course, any of you decide to do something stupid."

One of the women challenged him with, "Well, I don't have a high IQ, so I can't promise anything."

Niki glared at her friend, "Penny, please shut the fuck up. You aren't helping matters any."

Leonard's wife made a feeble attempt to defend herself, "Hey, I was just trying to lighten the mood a bit."

"Total fail, girlfriend. Try again."

Penny gave a teasing grin and tried again, "Okay, I promise to be good…for now."

"Penny…", Niki warned her ominously.

"Okay, okay. I'll shut up and cooperate."

Hugo walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "That's much better, Mrs. Hofstadter."

Penny asked in a startled voice, "How did you know my name?"

The man gave a wicked chuckle and informed her, "I know all of your names, except for the little one there, but I'm assuming she is a friend of yours. Am I correct, Dr. Horner?"

Niki nodded somberly, not wanting to upset the man, "Yeah."

"Very well. Now, no further questions. Just sit together down on the floor and my aides here will make sure you are all properly secured, to each other."

Fifteen minutes later, all the men left the room, locking the door behind them.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Niki looked around the room and saw that it contained no windows, no pictures on the wall nor anything else she could have used as a mind diversion. As the three women were bound very tightly to each other, she couldn't even turn to look at either of her companions. She did realize, however, that speaking was still possible, so she asked, "Now what do we do? It's going to get a bit boring just sitting here on the floor."

Annelise quickly came up with a suggestion for her, "I know. Why don't you tell me the tale of how you and Sheldon met and got together? I've already heard Penny and Leonard's story."

Niki decided to go along with the idea and asked her, "The entire story or the abridged version?"

"Let's begin with abridged and if I have any questions, you can expound on them."

Niki took a deep breath and began to speak, "Okay. Here goes. My first husband died. I went into a deep depression and began using alcohol to deal with my pain. I eventually lost my job as a professor at the Keck Science Institute and began to drink even more. A mentor of mine from Stanford got me into rehab and when I was done with that, they secured me a job at the Mt. Wilson Observatory. I eventually earned the job of running and maintaining their giant telescope. That is where I met Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali, a good friend and coworker of Sheldon's. He came up to Mt. Wilson about once a month and we began to talk. I always asked him if there were any openings down at Cal Tech, where he worked. You see, he worked with Dr. Sheldon Cooper, whose work I had always admired, and my dream was to work at the same institution as Dr. Cooper on the chance that I might actually meet him. Well, one day, Dr. Koothrappali informed me that he had lost his research assistant and then advised me to apply for the position. I don't know if he pulled any strings or not, but I got the position and moved down to Pasadena."

Anna stopped Niki's train of thought by asking, "Did you meet Sheldon at Cal Tech?"

"Uh huh. You see, Raj was working with Sheldon on a very important research project, but he had been offered a temporary position at the Mt. Palomar Observatory down near San Diego. Raj is crazy about telescopes, as am I, so he jumped at the chance to work there and Raj asked if I would be willing to fill in for him and help Sheldon with his research for a couple of weeks while he was busy at Palomar."

The smaller woman smiled to herself and invited the older woman to continue her story, "So, you two met, fell madly in love, and ended up getting married?"

Penny burst out laughing and replied with glee, "Oh, hell no! Trust me, Anna, it wasn't love at first sight for either of them."

Anna seemed greatly surprised and challenged Penny's response with, "Really? You two seem so into each other."

Niki thought back to when her and Sheldon had met and then continued, "No, Penny is right. At our first meeting, I liked him well enough, though I thought he was a bit rude and strange. And he resented the hell out of me."

"Why?"

Niki gave a short sigh and began to explain, "He didn't want Raj to go to Palomar, that's why. They were at a very critical juncture in their research and Raj was leaving. In his defense, Sheldon didn't know me at all and here was this complete stranger being sent to help him at a very crucial point in their work. I understood that, but nobody else wanted to work with him, so I was all he had."

Annelise grew impatient and pointedly inquired, "So how _did_ you two get together?"

Cooper's wife smiled to herself and replied, "Penny had a part in that. You see, Sheldon and I began to work together and soon we both realized our research styles were very well suited to each other, maybe even more so than his with Raj. So, Dr. Cooper concocted a plan where I would meet all his friends so that they would start to like me and take his side when he replaced Raj with me in their research group."

"Did that work?"

Niki chuckled at the memory of the dinner party where she had first met Sheldon's friends, "Not like he thought it would. They all liked me, but not to the point where they liked me better than Raj. In spite of that, Sheldon and I decided to start hanging out more often as friends. And the more we spent time together, the closer we got."

The younger woman then asked in an exasperated voice, "So that's when you two fell in love?"

Niki shook her head, even though she knew Anna couldn't see her, "No. One night, Sheldon was supposed to come over for dinner, but he stood me up to go over to Raj's for a night of gaming."

Anna was confused and asked her, "Dr. Koothrappali was back by then?"

Sheldon's wife apologized to her new acquaintance, "Sorry about that. I left that part out. By the time Raj got back from Palomar, Sheldon decided to keep both of us on his research team which was just fine with all of us. Dr. K's girlfriend at the time did not like me working so closely with her boyfriend, so he was more than happy to only see me when Sheldon was there, also. It kept his girlfriend happy. Anyway, back to Sheldon standing me up. I got so angry I called him up and gave him an earful, which he took a little too nonchalantly for my taste. So, I called Penny and Bernie and we all got dressed up and went out dancing."

"That's like the expression, When life hands you lemons…"

Niki laughed out loud at that common saying, "Exactly. Anyway, we were out having fun when guess who shows up?"

"Sheldon?"

Niki strained against the ropes that bound them all together as she answered, "Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard, to be exact. Howard is another of our friends. He's Bernie's husband. So, Sheldon was extremely upset to see me dancing with another man and took me to task over it. It ended up with us both realizing we were true friends who wanted to spend even more time together."

Annelise sounded skeptical as she asked, "You didn't fall in love that night?"

Niki stopped struggling against the ropes and replied, "Possibly, but neither of us would admit it, even to ourselves. This is where Penny comes in. Sheldon's birthday was coming up and Penny suggested I give him a special present. Now at that point, Penny's idea of special and mine were completely different."

At that, Penny exclaimed, "I'll say!"

"She wanted me to seduce him and I wanted to take him to Disneyland."

Helmut's girlfriend smiled at that reply and inquired, "And whose idea won the day?"

Niki's answer was quick in coming, "Mine, at first. Sheldon and I went to Disneyland, a place we both adore, and had a great day. But something changed that day. We began to touch each other a lot more and got even closer than we had been before."

Anna's voice held an edge of excitement as she questioned Niki, "Aaaaand?"

"At the end of the day, to make a long story short, Sheldon kissed me and I kissed him back. We went dancing, returned to our rooms, had dinner, and…"

"You seduced him?"

Niki's admission was factual, "Sort of. But there wasn't much actual seducing necessary. We ended up spending the weekend together. We came back to Pasadena as a couple. That was in February. We got engaged in May and married the next April. We had Lori in October, on the same day we found out we had won the Nobel. Now, we've been married going on two years and I'm…and that's the short version of our story."

Penny caught Niki's unfinished sentence and told the young woman, "She left out a lot of things, Anna, but we can fill you in on all of that later."

A voice from above her asked, "And now, would you like me to untie you two?" Niki looked up and saw Annelise standing over her, a wide smile on her face

"How did you do that?" Niki demanded.

The smaller woman grinned widely and informed her, "Oh, I didn't tell you I'm double jointed? It just took me a few minutes of wiggle time to get myself free. That tale of you and Sheldon helped distract the two of you while I went to work freeing myself." She quickly untied the other two women, "There you go, free at last!"

Penny raced for the door, "Great! Now let's get the hell out of here."

Niki stopped her with, "Not so fast. Those guys have our purses, which contain all of our money and our phones. I don't know about you guys, but I want to get my belongings back from them."

Annelise looked over at Penny as if she were insane and remarked, "That's a fine idea, but how do you propose we do that? They're all a lot bigger than any of us."

Penny thought for a moment and then turned to her bestie and asked, "Nik, think back to your first Christmas with Sheldon*. What did you guys do?" *The Assistant Conundrum, Chapter 47

"You don't remember? You were there, girlfriend."

Penny dismissed the comment and replied, "Humor me."

Niki gave an impatient sigh and told her, "We went out with our families and friends."

Penny pushed her, "Where did we all go?"

The lady physicist worked from memory to recall their itinerary, "Let's see…we did dinner and then we went to this lip-syncing place and exchanged most of our gifts."

"Anything else you recall about that night? Like when you and I went to the powder room?"

Niki's eyes grew huge and she exclaimed, "Oh my god! Yes, those two drunk guys who bothered us." "Those two were total ignoramuses, but we handled them, didn't we girl?"

"We sure did, and I suggest we do the same thing here."

Niki protested to her friend, "But Penny, these guys are sober. And there's three of them here, not two."

Penny looked over at their new friend and asked her, "There's three of us. What do you think, Anna?"

Annelise smiled broadly and rubbed her hands together gleefully, "I love a good fight. Helmut always says it's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. Trust me, girls, I've got plenty of fight in me."

Niki turned to her, "Do you know any self-defense moves?"

"Enough to get by. I'll take the smallest guy and the leave the bigger men to you two."

Penny nodded in approbation and drew the three of them into a tight circle, "That's the spirit. Okay ladies, here's the plan."

 **What is Penny up to now? I don't know about you, but I almost feel sorry for those guys.**


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Running a Little Late

 **The girls are a bit tied up and are late meeting their husbands. Will they make it to the banquet and their spouses' sides in time?**

Sheldon and Leonard completed their hygiene rituals and began to dress themselves for the night ahead. As they were helping each other with their ties, Sheldon asked his friend, "What do you suppose is keeping our wives? They should have been here by now."

Leonard checked himself in the mirror as he responded to Sheldon's query with, "Maybe they're over at Helmut's place. You know, having a visit after they dropped off Annelise."

Sheldon pondered those words for a long moment and then asked, "Do you suppose we should get in touch with Helmut and ask if they are there?"

The shorter man gave a noncommittal shrug of his shoulders and replied, "I suppose it couldn't hurt. Could you do the honors and send him a text? I've got to find my cuff links. I know I put them down somewhere around here."

Sheldon gave a pronounce eye roll and pointed towards the other room down the hall, "Leonard, you left them on the nightstand by your bed. And yes, I'll text Helmut right now."

A few minutes later, Leonard returned, cuff links in place. After checking his look in the mirror yet again, he suddenly remembered the situation with their wives and asked, "Any news from Helmut?"

Sheldon sadly shook his head, "Not anything good. He says Annelise hasn't arrived there, either. I must admit, I'm beginning to get concerned about this situation."

Leonard walked over to his friend and patted him on the shoulder reassuringly, "Relax, buddy. Knowing our wives, they probably went on a shopping spree when they finished with their search. Let's give them a little while longer to show up. You know how Penny and Niki love to shop."

Now it was Sheldon's turn to gaze into the dressing room mirror, "Thank you, Leonard. Now you have given me something completely different to worry about."

Leonard gave a small chuckle, straightened his tie, and reminded Sheldon, "There's no need to worry. Most places over here only take cash and traveler's checks. They can't melt their plastic from over use here in Germany like they can at home."

"I suppose you're right, but I know Niki purchased a truckload of German currency before she left. She showed me last night."

Leonard paused in his preening for a moment and then replied, "Then I suppose Penny did, too. Hey, look on the bright side. It's their money they're blowing, not ours."

Sheldon walked away from the mirror muttering, "Small comfort, Leonard. Small comfort."

Leonard checked his watch, "Look, we can't wait much longer for them. Let's just shoot them a message telling them we're leaving for the banquet and for them to meet us there."

"That's a brilliant idea." Sheldon grabbed his phone and quickly typed out a message to his wife. He then looked at Leonard and told him, "Now, what do you say we leave for the hall and get ourselves some good seats. We can always save a couple of them for our wives."

Leonard reluctantly grabbed his dinner jacket and headed for the door, "Yeah, I guess so. Let's grab our wallets and keys and get the hell out of here. I hope the girls show up before dinner. Penny can get a bit testy when she misses a meal."

Sheldon joined his friend at the door and remarked drily, "Don't I know it. Well, Leonard, our public awaits us."

Penny's husband headed out the door and called back over his shoulder, "Whatever, Sheldon. Let's go."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Niki took a look around the room and pointed something out to the others, "Look, over there, in that corner. More rope!"

"That works perfectly for my idea. Now, let's put our little plan into action, girls. Those goons can't be too far away. I'm sure they want to guarantee that everything goes according to their stupid plan."

All three of the ladies wrapped the used rope around themselves and gave the appearance of still being tied together. They then placed themselves close to the wall by the door and began to pound on it with their feet and bodies. As predicted, the three men raced into the room to check on them and seemed relieved to find the ladies still bound together.

The tall man admonished them, "Ladies, ladies, can we please keep it down in here? While this building is quite isolated, I wouldn't want any of you to hurt yourselves, or draw any unwanted attention from the rare passerby."

Penny looked up at him, eyes wide and pleading, "Hey, I'm really sorry. It's just that I really have to use the bathroom and we had no other way to call you."

The tall man seemed unimpressed with her dilemma and leaned over her to say, "I'm sorry as well, but untying you for any reason is not in the cards at the moment. I believe you will just have to wait patiently for the dinner to be over and for us to untie you."

At that moment, a leg lashed out and caught the man on the inside of his calf and dropped him like a stone. All three women threw off their ropes and proceeded to bring down the other two men with quick, cat-like moves. Niki crowed as she delivered a debilitating blow to the Adam's apple of the next man, "Good job, Penny! That was the right way to get this party started."

The third man acted quickly and twisted one of Annelise's arms behind her back. He called out, "Back on the floor, girls, if you don't want me to break your little friend's arm."

"I don't think so, sir," cried the small woman as she used her double-jointed abilities to easily escape from the man's hold. She then delivered a lightning fast kick to his groin. "That didn't feel good, did it?" the young woman snarled down at him.

Niki and Penny soon rendered the other two men in the same condition by using the same maneuver. Penny wasted no time in instructing her friends to, "Quick, get the other ropes!"

Annelise failed to understand Penny's intentions and asked her, "What are we going to do with them?"

"Tie them up, of course."

Annelise was still confused and looked down at the rope in her hands, "How will we do that?"

Penny couldn't help but sneak in a little bragging, "Hey, you're looking at the woman who won a first place belt buckle in calf roping at the Junior Rodeo. Just follow my lead. I don't want to use our ropes; the police will need our DNA samples to prosecute."

Niki turned to Annelise and gave a huge smile, happy to have gotten some form of revenge, "You heard the lady, take that rope and let's get busy!"

As Penny busied herself tying up the men, she answered her friend's comment with, "Uh…Nik. I wouldn't put it quite like that."

Niki followed Penny's moves and tightened the last knot on her section of rope. She looked over at Penny and then down at her captors, "You know what I meant. Get busy that way with these guys? Don't make me ill…wait…" with those words, she unintentionally deposited her breakfast on Hugo.

Penny couldn't help smiling at the sight of Hugo covered in an avocado and bacon omelet, "Touché, my friend. Now that's the way to put an end to this saga."

Annelise asked in a panicked voice, "Wait guys, shouldn't we call the police right about now?

Niki cast a disgusted smirk down at the men and answered, "We should, but they have our purses with our phones inside them. If we call the authorities at this point in time, they'll never tell us where our things are. I doubt they're just going to tell us anything without a little persuasion."

Penny had an idea, "What about if we try to strike up a deal? Guys, we won't call the police if you tell us where you stashed our purses and phones?"

Hugo looked up at her and snarled, "We'll never tell you, so I suppose you cannot call the authorities, can you?"

Annelise's smile started small then grew exponentially as she casually replied, "We could only do that if one of us carried her phone inside her blouse." Her hand rummaged around inside the front of her shirt and she triumphantly pulled out her second phone and crowed, "Hey, guess what? Here it is. Now, where are our things?"

Hugo jerked his head to the right, "Two rooms down. The door is unlocked. You will find your bags on the back table."

Niki put up her hand and motioned the others to stay in the room. She then looked down at the trio of men and asked, "Wait, one more question before we leave. Who are you working for?"

Hugo shook his head stubbornly and replied, "That I cannot tell you, young lady."

Niki stood over Hugo, "Gee, I feel a little sick again…"

The tall man confessed, "Her name is Heather Powers. Truly, we were not hired to hurt you, just delay you getting to that venue and joining your husbands.

Niki's eyes narrowed, and she spat out, "Powers? That bitch? Thanks a lot, Hugo. I owe you one."

"Such as untying us?"

Niki snorted in derision, "Not a chance, buster. But how about us not calling the police on you and your friends." To Penny and Annelise, she said, "I have another idea on how we're going to handle this, ladies."

Penny ran past the men and called over her shoulder to Niki, "How?"

"I'll tell you on the way to the hotel. Right now, let's just get our bad selves back to the hotel." Niki gave the men a parting shot as she headed out the door, "Gentlemen, I'd like to say it's been a pleasure meeting you…but it hasn't."

The short man called out after them, "Wait, how are we supposed to get loose from these ropes?"

Penny looked down at the men with more than a little scorn, "Why don't you figure that out for yourselves? We did. C'mon ladies, let's rock 'n roll."

As they raced down the hall after retrieving their belongings, Penny turned to Niki and exclaimed, "Free at last! By the way Nik, if I were you I would call the doctor about your stomach."

Niki gave her friend a wry grin as she kept running for the elevator, "Don't worry, Penny. I already have."

 **Well, the girls got out of this one safely. Now, will they make it to that banquet? Also, what are the guys doing in their absence?**


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39: The Race is On

 **Leonard and Sheldon meet Helmut at the banquet. One question fills all their minds: Where are their ladies?**

Leonard and Sheldon opened the door to the banquet hall at the Restaurant Romer and took in their surroundings. Everything was done in white and gold glitz, from the table cloths to the wallpaper and place settings. Sheldon glanced at the china on each table and gave a wistful sigh, "Niki would love this! She is so good at planning and decorating for these kinds of things."

Leonard nodded in agreement as they made their way across the room, "Well, before she met you, she had lots of experience hosting dinner parties with her first husband."

Sheldon gazed up at one of the glittering chandeliers as he addressed Leonard, "Yes, I suppose you're right. Perhaps when we get back home, she and I could plan some sort of party."

His friend stopped in his tracks and asked, "For what? Aren't you guys doing Thanksgiving again this year? You know those kinds of things are kinda stressful for your wife. Why would you want to throw another party? I mean, what for?"

Sheldon's eyes left the chandelier and focused on Leonard as he shrugged nonchalantly, "Maybe just a party that shows our happiness at being back home with our friends. You know, showing our appreciation to Wolowitz and Koothrappali for holding down the fort while we have been gone. And to allay your fears, Niki would not be planning this alone. I would be helping her this time."

Leonard shook his head disbelievingly, "Wait, am I hearing things? You want to thank Raj and Howard for something? And you want to help your wife in planning a social event? What's got into you, buddy?"

Sheldon tried to look anywhere but at his cohort as he spoke in a quiet voice, "I'm ashamed to admit this, Leonard, but I sometimes forget just how loyal my friends really are. Also, I do admit I sometimes take Niki's social abilities for granted and let her do all the work in that area."

Leonard clapped him lightly on the back and replied, "Hey, buddy. Relax. We all know you like us. In the last couple of years, you've made that pretty clear to all of us. And Niki knows how much you love her."

Sheldon then faced him and stated, "No, I didn't say like and love, I said appreciate. Take this trip for instance. You and my wife have stood by me, no matter how ridiculous I was acting. And when I was in a bad way, you and Helmut got me through it. My feelings go far beyond mere like. Yes, a party for all the people who have stood by me and helped me is definitely called for."

Leonard downplayed the notion, "Hey, it was no biggie. That's what friends are for."

Sheldon resumed looking for their seats and responded to Leonard's words with, "And I will never forget it. Now, let's find our table and wait for our wives to arrive."

The shorter man grabbed his friend's arm and pointed towards one side of the dance floor, "Look, there's Helmut! I think he's sitting at what is supposed to be our table."

Sheldon's face broke out into a wide smile, "Oh, that is good news. The longer I know that young man, the more I like him."

Leonard waved at Helmut while he made his way toward their German friend, "It sure didn't start off that way, did it?"

Sheldon eagerly followed his friend, speaking as he went, "No, that is the truth. But Leonard, I have an idea I want to run by you later tonight."

"Does it concern Helmut?" Leonard asked him as they approached the table.

The taller man smiled to himself and then advised his friend, "Yes, but let that go for now. Here he comes."

"Okay. For now, let's follow him and get settled."

"Of course." Sheldon then greeted their German friend warmly, "Hello, Helmut. How are you?"

The younger man had a worried look on his face and he asked them, "Just fine, except that I don't know where Annelise is yet. Have either of you two gentlemen heard from your wives?"

Sheldon's face immediately dropped, and he began to show some concern as well, "Not yet, and I'm beginning to get a bit worried."

Leonard looked down at his phone and his face filled with relief, "Relax, guys. I just got a text from Penny."

"What does it say?" the other two men asked in one voice.

"It says, and I quote, _Running late. Luv u. explain l8r. XOXO."_

Sheldon gave a quick glance at the message and let out a long sigh, "Well, that's a relief. If Penny is still using teenage netspeak to express her feelings, she has met no harm. Everything is normal."

Helmut agreed, and he headed back to their table, "Yes, I feel much better now, Leonard. Thank you."

Leonard stopped in his tracks as a quizzical look came to his face, "Funny thing is, this message came from a number that isn't hers."

Sheldon craned his neck to peek at the text on more time, "You're right. I don't recognize that number, either."

Helmut borrowed Leonard's phone for a second and then informed the others, "Oh, that is easily explained. That phone number belongs to Anna's spare phone. Perhaps the battery died on the ladies' other cells."

Leonard smiled, nodded, and joined the others in crossing the room, "That explains that. Thanks, Helmut. Now, let's get over to our table and let the banquet begin!"

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Penny, Niki, and Annelise raced out of the building, intent on finding a way back to their hotel. "Do you have any idea where in this city we are?" Penny asked the German girl as they bolted down the street.

Annelise looked up at the building down the street around her as the sun set and the sky darkened, "As near as I can make out, we were held in the SkyLabs. This area I know fairy well. It is in the Bahnstadt, where Helmut lives."

Penny stopped in her tracks, stared at the younger woman and asked, "The Barn…what?"

"Bahnstadt. It is a community that houses a large group of research scientists and their families, and also many high-tech companies. Many of these businesses are housed in SkyLabs, the building we just escaped from. It would have been easy to hide us there. As you may have noticed, it is an immense building that contains many, many offices. The security for the building is very tight. They must have known someone with a pass key."

Niki was puzzled, "Does Helmut do much research? I just thought he taught classes."

Annelise also came to a stop and explained, "Niki, he is here doing his post doc. Of course, that means he does quite a bit of research as well as teaching. In Heidelberg, many businesses use teachers and students from the university to help in their research. It is, as you would say, a win/win situation for both sectors. Anyway, we are in luck. We are very close to this city's Central Station. This station is very much like a small city, it even has a market inside of it. We can be certain that someone there will be glad to call us a cab to take us back to our hotel. Let's go. It should be a very short distance from here."

As they resumed their quick pace, Penny made the point, "Even if that cab comes immediately and flies to the hotel, we are going to be late getting to that dinner. We still have to shower, do our hair, get dressed, and put on our makeup. The guys will be worried sick by then."

Annelise brightened and handed Penny her phone, "I have an idea. Here, text a message to Leonard tell him we'll be late. But don't tell him why just yet."

"Why don't you text Helmut instead?" Penny asked her, not grabbing for the phone.

"I hate texting in situations such as this. Will you do it, Penny? Please?"

Penny's resistance waned, "Sure. Give me your phone." After sending her message, she handed back Annelise's phone to her, "There, all done. Why do you hate texting? That's my main form of communication."

The young woman confessed, "I don't usually, but I have problems knowing what to say when I'm nervous or in a hurry, like right now. Look, there's the Station. Quick, let's get inside and ask someone to call us a cab."

Penny pointed to a taxi parked directly in front of them, "That won't be necessary. There's a cab right there, as if we ordered it. Let's get in and get back to our hotel."

Niki hesitated, "After the last time, I'm a little bit scared to jump into a strange cab."

Penny put her hands on her hips and threw her friend a challenge, "Nik, do you want to make it to that banquet?"

"Of course I do! I just checked my phone and Sheldon had sent me a worried text a while ago."

Penny looked at Niki triumphantly and told her, "Then put your fears aside and let's get in that cab. I'm sure Leonard has shown him my message by now."

"I suppose you're right. Let's go."

Fifteen minutes later, the taxi pulled up in front of the ArtHotel. The ladies paid the driver and then they all raced for the elevator that would take them to the fifth floor and their suite.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Leonard sat at the table and checked his watch for the umpteenth time, "I wonder what's keeping them? Running a little late is one thing, but it's time for the dinner to be served and they aren't here yet."

Sheldon stared at his water glass and shrugged, "Perhaps they had trouble finding a cab."

Leonard's eyes gave an exaggerated roll as he made his point, "Sheldon, their hotel is five minutes walking distance from here! If they couldn't get a cab they could have used their feet for transportation."

Helmut corrected him in a matter-of-fact tone, "That may be a tad difficult if they are in heels. Some of the streets here are cobblestoned and there is snow and ice on the ground, especially in this part of town. If they were near where I lived it would be different. The streets are quite modern there, with wide sidewalks, and are often plowed."

"That's all very interesting, but I'm still getting a little concerned about them."

A voice from behind them broke into their thoughts, "Gentlemen, perhaps your ladies have been detained by, shall we say, other social engagements?"

The youngest of the men turned around and, much to his disgust, found himself looking straight into the eyes of Dr. Heather Powers. He addressed her coldly, "And what would you know about that, Heather? Do you have your little spies working overtime for you?"

"Don't be absurd, Helmut. This is a rather small town, all things considered, word gets around."

Sheldon didn't turn around as he mumbled, "It seems it didn't get around fast enough for me to hear about you and your particular brand of larceny."

Heather voice was pure acid as she replied, "Ah, Dr. Cooper. Don't you find it ironic that you turned down my offers, yet your wife is out who-knows-where doing who-knows-what?"

Sheldon still could not be bothered to turn around as he quietly stated, "I trust Niki, she is nothing at all like you."

Powers sniffed haughtily, "I'm going to take that as a compliment, Sheldon. I am exactly where I am supposed to be, doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. Now, can you say the same thing about your wife?"

Leonard joined in the discussion with, "If you're trying in insinuate that our wives are up to no good, save your breath. We've known them long enough to know that they are, beyond anything else, trustworthy. That is why none of our women are anything like you."

"Time will tell, my dear doctors. Let's just see if any of them bother showing up tonight, shall we?"

Leonard challenged his cohort, "Sheldon, why are we wasting our time talking to this…this…witch? Don't we have better things to do?"

Once more, Sheldon refused to turn around and face his tormentor as he responded to Leonard's entreaty with, "Good lord, even a root canal looks better at this point."

Heather gave an evil chuckle, "Charming as ever, Dr. Cooper. I can see why your wife is finding herself entertained elsewhere."

Helmut advised his friend, "Sheldon, don't listen to her."

"Relax, Hoffman, I'm not. I know my wife. And I know she is incapable of any form of deceit. While this hussy…well, I do believe her actions speak for themselves." Sheldon finally turned in his chair to face Heather, his eyes as cold as the snow on the ground outside, "Good day, Dr. Powers. It was most definitely not a pleasure talking with you tonight."

Heather turned on her heel and headed for the opposite side of the room, but not before calling over her shoulder, "The feeling is mutual, Dr. Cooper."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The three women burst into the hotel room together, almost running over Mary Cooper in the process. "Whoa now, ladies. Why are you all here? Aren't you supposed to be at that dinner the school is giving for Shelly and Lenny?"

Niki corrected her as she sped past her and headed for one of the bedrooms, "Mary, it is for all the visiting faculty, not just for Sheldon and Leonard. But to answer your question, we were detained for a while downtown and are running late. We'll tell you all about it later. Right now, we've got to get ready and we've got to get ready in a hurry!"

"How can I help you girls?"

Penny ran by Mary on her other side, saying as she passed, "Keep the kids busy while we shower and get dressed."

Mary called after them, "No problem there. They both had a pretty busy day with their dads and then me. Both of 'em are sleepin' it off."

Niki came to a sudden stop and asked her mother-in-law, "Mary, how many showers are there in this suite?"

"Two. Why?"

Niki turned to her friends and suggested, "Two of us can shower while the other one gets her clothes and makeup ready. Does that sound okay?"

Annelise nodded and answered, "Yes, that works for me. But who's going first in the showers?"

Penny walked over to her bestie and reluctantly told her, "Gee, Nik, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but you should be one of the first ones to clean up. You have a little bit of your breakfast still stuck in your hair."

Niki wailed, "You waited until now to tell me? Thanks, girl."

"Hey, we've been a little busy since you puked on that guy."

Mary cried, "Whaaat?" as she led Annelise to one of the bathrooms.

Niki made a run for the other bathroom and patted the older woman on the arm as she ran by her, "Later, Mary. Trust me, it's a good story. Okay, I'll go first."

Penny followed Annelise down the hall, saying, "Mary, that's a great idea having Anna use the other one. I've got a lot of makeup to go through before I shower. I can't pull off that minimal makeup look like you two can."

As Niki began to remove her clothing on the way to the shower she chided her friend, "That's a lie, Penny, and you know it. You just feel better with more makeup on."

Penny waved off her comment with, "Whatever. Get in that shower before that entire banquet is over by the time we get there." She then questioned her younger friend, "Anna, what are you going to wear? You don't have any clothes here."

"Yes. I do. I brought my dress, shoes, and makeup here this morning while you were busy looking after Blake. I'm set."

Penny headed into one of the bedrooms and called out to the other ladies, "Good. Now, one last thing. Don't either of you hog all the hot water. I hate taking a cold shower."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Forty-five minutes later, the three women met in the living room and took a good look at each other. Penny smiled broadly at her bestie and exclaimed, "Girl, why are you wearing that dress?"

Niki attempted to give a plain explanation to her friend, "Because I believe that the events of the past month warrant it, that's why."

Penny nodded enthusiastically and replied, "Well, you're certainly going to get a reaction from Sheldon, that's for sure."

Niki gave Penny a level stare, turned to check her makeup in the mirror, and asked, "What about your dress? Isn't that the one you wore to the rooftop prom the night Sheldon proposed to me?"

The pretty blonde smiled smugly as she responded, "The one and the same. And I'm wearing it to remind my husband just how awesome I really am."

From across the room, Annelise made a shy comment, "Leonard doesn't seem to need any reminding."

Penny giggled and told the younger woman, "Girl, let me tell you something. When you have been married for a while, you need to keep the fires of love burning by reminding each other just how awesome each of you are both separately and together. Right, Nik?"

"The woman speaks the truth. Your kids, your job, your parents, heck, anything that makes up your life can come between a couple, if they let that happen. Keeping your relationship thriving sometimes takes moments like these. Both of our husbands are part of a group getting honored for their brains and their accomplishments. Right or wrong, that makes me hot for Sheldon, even more than usual. Wearing this dress will most likely remind him of the bond we have and how close we usually are as a couple. And I hope it makes him hot as well."

The petite woman nodded solemnly and replied, "I understand. Sometimes I worry that Helmut feels overshadowed by my career. I'm starting to get many positive reviews for my work and I hope that doesn't feel threatening to him."

Penny dismissed the young woman's concerns with a wave of her hand, "Relax, girl. One of the first things Leonard told me about Helmut was how he always brags about you and your acting ability. Trust me. When it comes to your career, he's proud, not threatened."

"That is good to know. You two both look so lovely, I sometimes feel like I can't compare to the two of you."

Niki turned to her unbelievingly and asked, "Why is that? You have your own special beauty. And trust me, everyone who meets you notices it. For instance, your hair is so smooth and shiny, how do you do that with hair so long? I'd love to know."

Penny added in a kind voice, "And your eyes, that color of blue should be illegal."

Niki nodded, "They're almost the same color as Sheldon's. Trust me, his eyes were one of the first things I noticed about him."

"But I'm not tall and elegant like you guys."

Niki responded in a warm way, "Anna, you're the perfect height for you. You don't have to be tall to be elegant. You carry yourself very elegantly for someone of your height."

"Sweetie, as tall women, I'd be willing to bet the house that both Niki and I have sometimes wanted to be short, petite, and cute. Just like you."

Annelise gave a small sigh as she replied, "That's the problem, ladies. Everyone calls me cute. Not sexy."

"I'd like to be called cute occasionally. I always get told I look 'interesting'. I'd also love to be called beautiful. Penny gets that all the time."

Penny gave her friend a gentle rebuke, "Stop it. Stop it right now. Sweetie, you're a good-looking woman."

Niki smile was wistful, "But not beautiful, right?"

Annelise paused from checking herself in the mirror and told her, "As Penny said, stop it. Niki, for what it's worth, when I first met you I thought you were very pretty. You also have a nice way of moving. Your legs are rather long, so you walk very gracefully."

Penny's smile was wide as she agreed, "Yeah, that's what it is. You don't walk like normal people, Nik. You kinda glide. That's what makes you such a great dancer."

Annelise looked pleasantly surprised as she asked, "Niki can dance? I love to dance! So does Helmut. Does Sheldon dance?"

"Girl, if you ever get the chance to see them do a rumba, waltz, or any kind of dance, you're in for a real treat."

Annelise made an honest assumption, "I must confess, Sheldon hasn't struck me as the type of man who dances."

Penny reassured her as she reached for her coat, "Oh, he does. He does. Anyway, if we're all lucky, tonight there will be dancing at this event. So, let's grab our things and hurry on out of here before the night ends."

Niki nodded, went over to the bureau and pulled something from it, which she quickly put in her purse, "I'm with you, girl. Let's kiss the kids and get going."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Meanwhile, back at the banquet:

Dinner had been served and eaten and still the ladies had not arrived. Two of the three men had moved on from worry and were now at the stage of annoyance. Leonard groused, "A little late is one thing, but I got that message well over an hour ago. How long does it take for them to get ready?"

Sheldon took a sip of his drink as he replied in a calm voice, "Relax, Leonard. They'll be here."

Helmut looked down at his watch and then over at Sheldon, "How can you be so sure?"

"Niki has never lied to me, that's why. Like all of us, she has her faults. My wife may rage, she may scold, she may get sarcastic at times, but she has never lied to me. Ever."

"But she didn't send that text, Penny did. And sometimes _she_ can stretch the truth a bit." Leonard reminded him.

Sheldon dismissed that thought, "I received one also, about an hour ago. In it, Niki told me they were getting ready and close to leaving. For a group of women, that should make their arrival time within the next fifteen to twenty minutes."

Leonard took a bite of his desert and made a wry comment, "You sound pretty sure of yourself."

Sheldon merely shrugged and replied, "I know my wife. I trust her implicitly."

A female voice challenged his from behind, "Do you really? People say you are a bit naïve, and that remark only highlights the fact."

Leonard looked up and saw the Powers woman standing over them along with what Leonard assumed was one of her low-class cohorts. He glared at the woman and growled, "Shut up, Heather."

Sheldon interjected in a calm voice, "No, let her speak. I have always assumed people with her lifestyle lack any real intelligence. Remember that old saying, 'It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt'?"

Leonard gave an answer of frustration, "Of course I do. That's a quote from Lincoln."

"Not exactly, Lincoln paraphrased a quote from the Bible."

"That's from the Bible? It doesn't sound like Bible speak."

Sheldon cut into his desert with his fork and explained to his friend, "Actually, the Bible version says, 'Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent'. It's from the Book of Proverbs, Leonard."

Leonard gave Sheldon an exasperated look and asked, "And how does that fit in with this situation, again?"

Sheldon popped the last of his pie in his mouth and turned the fork towards his tormentor and pointed, "Leonard, Exhibit A."

Heather's voice was taunting as she acidly replied, "Dr. Cooper, you may insult me all you want, but the question still remains, where are your wives? I have it on good authority that they will be missing this little soiree altogether."

Sheldon had had enough and snapped back at her, "Good Lord, woman! Give it a rest! I can assure you…"

At that moment, the dj began playing the opening strains from a familiar tune. Sheldon's head turned quickly towards the doorway and what he saw caused his jaw to drop and his eyes to shine brightly.

 **What has Sheldon seen and why did he have that strong a reaction?**

v


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Making an Entrance

 **The ladies arrive at the banquet hall. What do you think will happen now?**

As the cab pulled up to the entrance to the Restaurant Romer, the three women jumped out and dashed inside. They gave their names to the large man standing guard at the doorway. He gave them a cursory nod, checked the guest list, then flashed them a warm smile as he nodded and pointed them in the direction of the hall holding the festivities. Penny took a look inside the room and announced to the others, "Holy crap! Heather Powers is in there and she's talking to Sheldon!"

Niki's eyes narrowed ominously, and she put up one hand as if to stop the other women as she handed the doorman a small scrap of paper and spoke to him in German, "Could you kindly give this to whomever oversees the music? It's very important." She then pulled the object from her purse she had grabbed from the bureau and placed it firmly on her head.

"Whatever is she doing?" Annelise whispered to Penny. "And why is she wearing a tiara?"

Penny's grin widened, and she gleefully replied, "Nik's about to play hardball, that's what. Keep your eyes peeled, girl. This is going to be good."

As Penny and Annelise made their way between tables to find their men, Niki walked onto the dance floor and stood squarely in the middle. Her head turned slowly and her eyes focused on her husband, who looked over at the start of the song and saw his wife in the ombre slip dress and tiara she had worn on their wedding day. He bounded out to the dance floor to join her as they began to rumba to what they had always referred to as 'their song', Last Night of the World.

As they looked deeply into each other's eyes, Niki whispered to him, "I told you we would show up for this thing."

"And you did so in the grandest manner imaginable." Sheldon's eyes turned a bright cobalt blue as he held his wife close to his chest and murmured into her hair, "I love you, Freckles, with all of my heart."

Niki melted into him and cooed, "And I love you, Schatze."

As they executed a spot turn he asked, "Where are Penny and Annelise?"

Niki replied, "They should be with Leonard and Helmut by now. Let's fan in that direction and see."

As the couple continued their dance, they kept quietly conversing, "You are correct, they have joined their men. "

Niki snuck a peek at the sidelines, "And Heather has retreated."

Her husband attempted to ease her anxiety by whispering in Niki's ear, "Forget about her, she doesn't matter."

Niki's head shot up straight and her eyes grew wide, "Oh, but she does. She played a big part in why we were late getting here."

Sheldon looked confused, "But she has been here since the start of the evening."

"Yes, but she has friends in low places who do her dirty work for her."

Sheldon immediately became concerned and he pulled his wife closer and asked, "Are you all okay?"

Niki smirked as she chuckled to herself and responded with, "We're all fine, except for Heather's little friends."

"What happened to them?"

Niki zeroed in on her bestie, who by this time was conversing with Leonard, "Let's just say Penny had a hand in doling out their just desserts."

Sheldon recognized the implications of what his wife had just told him, "Let me reframe my question then, are _they_ okay?"

Niki gave him a teasing reply, "Perhaps."

Just then, three uniformed policemen entered the ballroom and walked didcretely over to Heather and Cari's table. They soon motioned Penny and Annelise to join them.

Sheldon completed a dance step and inquired, "What's going on there?"

"I'll tell you everything later, promise."

"Very well. Are you up to doing a lift?"

Niki's face grew incredibly animated and she answered with an enthusiastic, "Oh yes! A great big, grand one if you don't mind."

Sheldon followed the music and positioned them both for a major lift, "I don't mind at all. That would be a great way to end this dance."

Niki nose crinkled up in happiness as she responded with a simple, "Agreed."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

As the couple danced, there were differing reactions from the others at the banquet.

Annelise's eyes shone bright as she gasped, "My goodness, Penny. You weren't kidding! Those two can really dance!"

Penny had an I-Told-You-So look on her face as she replied, "Well, they've had years of practice. But Sheldon does a lot of things that would surprise you."

"Such as?"

Penny grinned at her young friend as she confided, "For starters, he's crazy about paintball and he loves to rollerblade."

Annelise shook her head in disbelief, "Rollerblade?"

"Yeah, rollerblade. Niki got him hooked on that. It's kind of what she does instead of going to the gym."

"That just goes to show that you should never go by first impressions."

Helmut interrupted the women's conversation, "Oh, I don't know about that. The first time I laid eyes on you, I thought you were the sweetest, most beautiful woman I had ever met. And, as usual, I was correct."

Annelise blushed and replied, "And I thought you were the handsomest, most amazing man I had ever met. And I still do."

Penny rolled her eyes and playfully chided the young lovers, "Okay, okay, enough with the mushy stuff." She heard a noise and turned towards the door, "Hey, why are the police here? Oh, I get it. Our acquaintances from earlier in the day must have squealed on Heather and Company."

Helmut gave her a puzzled look, "What?"

"We'll explain all that to you guys later. For now, let's watch the happy couple dance."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

On the other side of the room, two women were having a much different discussion regarding the two dancers. Heather Powers pushed her dessert forcefully across the table and growled, "That bitch. Why does she get all the breaks?"

Cari Irving put down a spoonful of ice cream and asked pointedly, "Heather, what exactly has the woman ever done to you?"

"She's kept me from getting my claws into her husband, and getting my name added to one of his papers."

Cari shook her head in disagreement, "Uh, she didn't do that, dearie, he did."

Heather waved off her friend's comment and refocused her attention on the two dancers, "Whatever. Next time, I'm going to hire someone to do it right." Her eyes narrowed ominously, and she muttered to herself, "I thought Hugo told me he had them safely secured in Skylabs. I wonder what happened?"

Irving's head turned towards the door and whispered to her friend, "Heather, I think we're about to find out."

"Huh?"

Cari's voice held a worried tone to it as she described what was happening at the door, "I see three gentlemen from the local constabulary headed this way. And I'm willing to bet they didn't have a written invitation to this event, either."

Heather spit out a fiery, "Damn!"

The older of the officers approached their table and asked politely, "Would either of you ladies be Dr. Heather Powers?" while his younger cohort moved on towards the table of Penny and Annelise.

"She's Heather." Cari immediately pointed out, selling her friend quickly down the river.

"And you must be Dr. Cari Irving."

"Oh yes, that's her." Heather acidly replied, returning the favor.

The officer directed his gaze at Heather and said, "I just need to ask you a few questions regarding some events that occurred this afternoon in the Bahnstadt."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

As the music faded, Sheldon guided Niki through their final moves and told her, "Now that we've finished, let's go back to our table."

His wife looked up at him and replied, "Before we do that, can I talk to you about something?"

Sheldon put his arm around her waist and asked, "Is it about why you were late, why the police are talking to Penny and Annelise, or why Heather and her friend are in handcuffs?"

Niki looked over at all the action that was taking place off the dance floor and answered distractedly, "All of the above, partly, but I also have something else to tell you."

Sheldon pulled on her arm gently, "Can't it wait? I really want to go over there and see what's happening."

His wife pleaded with him kindly, "This will only take a minute."

Sheldon huffed, "That's what you said that time you talked me into cleaning out the closets, and that took half the day!"

"This is different."

"I should hope so. I wouldn't want to clean out all the closets in this hotel. We might never get home."

Niki squeezed his hand as she attempted to lead him to a more private location, "Sheldon…please stop and listen. Just for a minute. This is not about closets."

He suddenly halted their progress and observed, "Very well. But then I want to see Leonard and find out what all the excitement was about. Wait, I may not have to. One of those policemen is coming this way."

"Oh crap!" Niki cried in a frustrated voice.

"Watch your language, Niki. I wonder what he wants. "Are you in any sort of trouble?"

His wife shook her head and then gave a long sigh, "No, Sheldon. I just really wanted to talk with you about something. But I suppose if it's waited this long, it can wait a bit longer." Turning to the policeman, she greeted him in German, "Hello, officer. How may I help you?"

The uniformed man gave her a reassuring smile and informed her, "Your friend, Ms Hofstadter, informed us earlier tonight by text of a situation that occurred today that was most unfortunate. If you don't mind, ma'am, I need to ask you a few questions about what happened to you and your friends today."

Niki gave a long sigh and resigned herself to the delay in her plans, "Okay. What are they?"

Twenty minutes later, the questioning was finished and the officer closed his notebook, "Thank you so much for your time, Dr. Horner. Now, I need you to do one more thing for me."

Niki gave him a tired look and replied, "And what would that be?"

"I need you to look at this book of photographs and see if any of these faces match the men you encountered this afternoon.

Niki wasted no time in pointing out their captors, "That man on the bottom of the first page, he was the man who picked us up in the taxi. It sounded like he was in charge of the whole operation. On the second page, a little left of the middle in the third row, that guy was the short man. He did a lot of the work tying us up. Right below him, four rows down, that was the third man. He didn't do much but look threatening. Maybe that was his main job, I don't know."

The officer closed the book of photographs and placed it carefully in the satchel hanging on his shoulder. "Very good, Dr. Horner. You have all picked out the same three men. For your information, the man driving the taxi was one Hugo Fronek. There have been police from all over Europe trying to get this man on something. He's a very nasty individual and I am quite glad that you and your friends weren't harmed today. I will now take my leave. Enjoy the rest of your evening. Oh, by the way, how much longer will you be in town?"

Niki cocked her head and looked at the man quizzically, "A few days at the most. Why?"

"We will need you and your friends to testify if this goes to trial. Of course, that may take a bit of time, so all of you may need to fly back here at some point in the future. I apologize in advance for the inconvenience."

Niki shrugged, her mind a million miles away, "It can't be helped. I'm sure my friends and I will be only too happy to testify against all the people involved in this incident. Just let us know the date of the trial, if there is one, and we will be there."

As she turned to return to her husband and friends, the officer called out a suggestion, "Perhaps you can give a video testimony from a law office or court near your home. We will do our best to arrange that if we can. For now, continue on with your evening."

When she reached Sheldon's side once more, his arm went around his wife's shoulders and he asked with much concern, "Niki, I understood most of what he said to you. You, Penny, and Annelise were kidnapped?"

She nodded as if it were of little importance, "Yep. It sort of made for an exciting day, but it also made us late for this banquet and we completely missed the dinner." She then addressed, for her, a more pressing situation, "I'm starved, Cooper. Unhurt, but starved."

Sheldon turned Niki to face him and kissed her on the nose, "I will see what I can do about getting you something to eat. Now that we have that settled, what was it that you were in such a rush to tell me?"

"Can it wait until after I've had something to eat?"

"Of course. But it seemed as though it was something you considered important."

Niki's hunger was getting stronger as she looked around the room for a waiter, "As I said earlier, it will keep. Now, could you please find me something to eat and then we can have us a little talk."

Sheldon surrendered the battle with, what for him, was good grace, "Very well. Ahh, here comes Leonard and Helmut. I do hope between the three of us we can get our hands on some dinner for you ladies. If I know Penny, she is ravenous and wants nothing more than something to drink and eat, most likely in that order."

Niki's brows furrowed, and she chided him, "Sheldon, be nice. Penny hardly drinks at all anymore when she is doing a play. You do know that she interrupted her rehearsals to come here with me, don't you? I think the least you can do is show her a little respect. Penny was the biggest reason we made it here tonight at all!"

"I stand corrected. You are right. Penny has made many positive changes for herself since she has returned to acting and become a mother. Now, if you will excuse me, I will join forces with Leonard and Helmut to find you ladies some food."

Forty-five minutes later, Niki sat back in her chair, quite full and satisfied from the leftovers Sheldon had brought back from the kitchen. Upon returning from his quest, he had proudly presented them to her with a flourish, like a mighty hunter displaying his catch. Niki grinned to herself at the memory and looked over at her husband, who was busy conversing with one of professors from the university. Waiting for a break in the conversation, Niki tapped him lightly on the shoulder and quietly asked, "Sheldon, would it be possible for us to go somewhere private and talk? I really do have something important to tell you."

Her husband nodded a quick goodbye to the professor and addressed his wife, "Is it about Helmut's mother, your aunt? Did you find her?"

Niki shook her head and reached for Sheldon's hand, "No, it's not about that, though we'll be going to look at more records tomorrow. No, this is something private, just between you and me."

He immediately became concerned, "You aren't angry with me by any chance? I did manage to get you some food to eat. That must count for something. Or are you upset about what happened earlier today? I do suppose getting kidnapped and tied up would put a damper on things. But look on the bright side, I do believe Dr. Heather Powers will no longer be bothering either of us."

Niki smiled and shook her head in a silent 'no', then grabbed Sheldon's hand, pulled him from his seat, and beckoned him to follow her. When Niki had found them a secluded alcove where many of the guests had left their coats and boots, she pulled her husband into it and addressed his concerns. "Sheldon, how could I be angry at you? You are an excellent husband. You are intelligent, funny, loyal, loving, sexy, and most of all, you're a great father to our children."

"Niki, I hate to be a nag, but I must correct you. We have a child, not 'children'."

"Well, not yet we don't, but…" with that, she gave him a knowing grin and he stared back at her wide-eyed as all the puzzle pieces began to quickly fit themselves together in his mind.

He managed to stammer, "Y-y-you mean…"

"Yes, Shatze. In a few months we will be giving Lori a little brother or sister."

He pulled Niki close to him and murmured into her hair, "When did you discover this?"

"Right before I talked everyone into going with me to Germany. I went to your doctor to get permission to bring your pills to you. I told him I had been feeling run down and nauseated, and he had a friend of his, who is a GP, run a pregnancy test on me. As far as my reasons to fly over here, I truly did intend to deliver your Paxil to you, but I thought I might as well kill two birds with one stone. In all honesty, I don't believe this is the kind of news you announce to your husband over Skype."

Sheldon continued holding his wife, planting gentle kisses repeatedly on the top of her head without saying a word. Finally, he managed to croak, "Excuse me a moment, I have something I need to do." With that, he released her from his hug, turned on his heels and made his way back to the banquet hall, leaving a thoroughly confused Niki in his wake.

 **Where is Sheldon going and what is he up to? Oh well, as least we know Niki does not have a stomach bug.**


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Speech! Speech!

 **Leonard and Sheldon address their hosts. Penny shares a secret and Helmut shares his heart.**

What had drawn Sheldon away from Niki's side had been the sound of Leonard Hofstadter's voice addressing the crowd, "For both my colleague and myself, I want to thank the University of Heidelberg for having us as guest lecturers these past few weeks. Heidelberg is a truly lovely city and I will always fondly remember my time here. I have been honored to host these lectures with my best friend, Dr. Sheldon Cooper, who is one of the premier physicists in the United States, if not the world. I'm not quite sure where Dr. Cooper is at this moment, but I can assure you, he is safe. The last time I saw him he was with his wife, Niki. Now, I must tell you this, not only does Sheldon love physics, he also loves his wife very much…and very often. So, let your minds chew on that for a bit while we wait for Dr. Cooper to make his entrance, shall we?"

A few moments later, Sheldon raced up to the podium and took the offered microphone from Leonard.

"Thank you, Leonard for your kind words, most of them anyway. While up here with a mic in hand, I need to address something to all of you while I'm up here. I will try to be brief, but I must warn you in advance the odds of that happening are not great. My sincerest apologies to you all, but there are many things I need to say tonight, so please bear with me. My time as a guest lecturer at your fine institution has not been without both difficulties and rewards. The events of the last three weeks, which I will not go into detail about now, have taught me a very valuable lesson. No, make that two very valuable lessons. One thing I have been taught is humility. I've been making some ground on that issue the past few years, but I never realized how strongly I still held onto the notions of my own superiority until I arrived here and began my lecture series. To say that my eyes have been opened to a few things would be a drastic understatement. I was invited here by the university to give a series of talks about my latest paper, which was written jointly with my most gracious colleague, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter. What I need to say is as little as six months ago I would have taken great exception to the words he used to describe me, 'one of the premier physicists in the United States'. I would surely have taken him to task about his phrasing, reminding him that, in my eyes, I was _the_ premier physicist in my country, not one of that said group. I would have been wrong. No one person achieves success in a vacuum, and I am no exception to that rule. The reason I was invited here to lecture on the superfluid theory, is in great part because of the work done by Dr. Hofstadter. I merely worked out the mathematical proofs for the theory, which was his brainchild in the beginning, if I must be honest. My math skills are superior to his, that I will agree with, but my vision has nowhere near the limitless boundaries of Dr. Hofstadter. His brain comes up with ideas that are mostly beyond me, if I must be honest with you people. And tonight is all about honesty for me. Dr. Leonard Hofstadter came up with the vision and the theory, I just tinkered with the math a little to make it all work. That is all. I owe a great deal to him, and I want everyone here tonight to recognize his genius for what it is, remarkable.

"Another work I lectured on while a guest at your university was my research group's paper on gravity nullification. This theory didn't come to fruition without the input of Drs. Raj Koothrappali and Nikita Horner. At this moment, Dr. Koothrappali is back in Los Angeles helping run our research facility and from what I have heard, doing an excellent job. Raj is one of the most gifted scientists I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and I do hope he feels the same way about me.

"On to Dr. Horner. I found her work to be as solid, well researched, and comprehensive as any I have ever seen, my own work included. What can you say about a physicist whose work astounds you? What do you do when you meet a fellow physicist of that caliber? Simple. You fall in love with the woman and ask her to marry you. She kindly accepts and together you build a family. At first, it's just the two of you and soon you create a child together. A child both of us adore, by the way. A few minutes ago, my wife, Dr. Horner, has just informed me that our collaborations have once again been successful, and she is expecting our second child. Again, what can I say except, 'thank you'? Thank you, Niki for loving me, helping me to heal and grow, and for giving me so many wonderful gifts that I know I can never repay. I also want to thank Dr. Leonard Hofstadter for not only being my co-author of the superfluid theory, but also the best friend I have ever had or ever will have. Leonard, you are more than my friend. As you once said to me, you are my brother.

"I am also very grateful to this institution for having me as a guest for the last few weeks. I have appreciated all the kindness I have felt from all of you, especially from Dr. Helmut Hoffman. Dr. Hoffman is a fine representative of your wonderful university and I will always appreciate all the kindness and help he has given me while I have been here. Your school is extremely lucky to count him among your faculty. Now, I do believe I have taken up enough of your time, so if you all will excuse me, I need to get back to my wife and unborn child. In closing, I want to tell all of you gathered here tonight, thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

Throughout Sheldon's entire speech, Niki had stayed in the small alcove, listening intently to his words. As he spoke about their history and their work together, tears gently fell from her eyes as she whispered softly, "Oh, Cooper!" She then thought of the child she was carrying and her daughter, back at the hotel with Mary, and her tears were replaced by a gentle smile. They were a family, and families stuck together through everything. Love for her husband and children filled her heart almost to bursting and she grabbed her phone and sent Sheldon a simple text: _Cooper,_ _I still love you to the furthest star in the universe and back._

Niki saw Sheldon leave the dais and pull his phone out of his pocket as he made his way back to her. He then read her message, stopped, and wheeled around. Reaching Leonard and Helmut, he began to converse with them intently. All three of the men began to smile broadly and they made their way over to the dj and whispered something into his ear. That man began to smile broadly, also, as Leonard walked over to the mic and began to speak:

"May I have your attention one more time, please. I need to mention that there are three remarkable women here tonight. One would be my wife, Penny, who is the most remarkable woman I have ever known. But there are two other women I have come to both admire and respect. One is the wife of my best friend, Dr. Sheldon Cooper. His wife, Niki, has been as good a friend to me as her husband, and she has been an excellent wife to him as well. But I need to say that she has also been a very good friend to my wife. Niki has always lent an ear and support to both me and Penny at so many difficult times in both our lives. She has cheered us on when we have had successes and lent us a shoulder to cry on when times have been hard. All I can say is both Penny and I love her very much. Niki, thank you for always being there for everyone.

The third woman is the lady friend of my other good friend here tonight, Dr. Helmut Hoffman. His girlfriend, Ms. Annelise Gruber, is a beautiful woman, both inside and out. In the short time we have known her, Anna has proven herself to be a true friend to me, my wife, and the Coopers. Annalise, thank you for all your kindness. It has not gone unnoticed by any of us.

Now, we three men up here would like to invite Niki, Penny, and Annelise to dance with us to a song we have chosen in your honor."

With that, Penny and Annelise joined their husbands on the dance floor. Sheldon looked around for his wife and found her still in the alcove, wiping the tears from her eyes before she returned to the hall.

"Whatever were you crying for?" Sheldon asked her in a gentle, caring tone.

Niki attempted a reply through her tears, "It's just your words, they meant so much to me. About me and the coming baby…"

Sheldon pulled her close and whispered, "Niki, I meant those words. I'm truly excited to be adding another member to our family."

"I know that," she sniffed and thankfully took the offered handkerchief from his hand, "but I'm worried if we're going to be able to give this child as much love as we have Lori. Do we divide our love between them or what?"

Sheldon shook his head and answered her in a soft voice, "Niki, we are both scientists, well versed in mathematics. The answer to that one is simple. You are using the incorrect application. We will not divide our love, we will multiply."

Once again, tears filled Niki's eyes as she buried her head in Sheldon's neck and sighed, "Oh, Cooper. You've done it again!"

Sheldon was honestly uncomprehending and asked, "Done what?"

Niki kissed her husband's cheek and answered, "Made me fall in love with you all over again."

"I suppose my answer to that is the feeling is mutual. Now, shall we rejoin our friends on the dancefloor? That dj has been waiting all this time to start the song."

Niki looked up into his eyes, "What song did you guys pick?"

"One that encompasses all three of our relationships." Sheldon held out his hand to his wife, "Please, join me?"

Niki took his hand are replied as she walked out to the dance floor with him, "Always."

As they headed out to the dance floor, the dj began to play Shayne Ward's Breathless and all three women melted into the arms of their men.

When the lyrics addressed the future children, Sheldon pulled Niki close and whispered into her ear, "Our next child will look like you if I have anything to say about it."

Niki shook her head decisively, "No, I want our next child to look exactly like you! Especially in the eyes. Lori has my eyes, I want this child to have yours."

Sheldon teased her with, "Boy or girl?"

Niki grinned up at him, "You chose last time. Now it's my turn."

"And you want?"

"A healthy child. Our child will be deeply loved regardless of their gender, and that's the way it should be."

Sheldon reluctantly responded with, "Agreed. Though would you be upset if I'm secretly wishing for a boy?"

Niki melted back into his embrace and answered in a soft voice, "Not at all, Cooper. Not at all."

Next to them, Leonard and Penny were dancing close themselves, having a happy conversation.

Leonard smiled at Penny and asked her, "When all is said and done, are you glad you came over here with Niki?"

His wife's green eyes glowed as she told him, "Just seeing you in the flesh has been way more than worth it."

"What about your play?"

Now Penny's smile grew cheeky and she looked deeply into Leonard's eyes, "Good luck there. One of the principals got sick and they agreed to delay the opening a few weeks."

Leonard became curious and his head drew back and he asked her, "Oh? Who's sick?"

"Me. Well not sick, exactly. I don't get sick when I'm in a family way like Nik, but still…"

Leonard's eyes grew wide and bright and he responded to her in an almost unbelieving voice, "Wait. Y-y-you mean?"

Now Penny's smile was wide and genuine, and her eyes sparkled even more as she answered him, "Yep. Baby number two is on the way. It was quite a jolly Christmas season for you and me. And Niki and Sheldon."

Leonard pulled his wife close to him and told her, "I love you, Penny Hofstadter. How long have you known?"

"Since about a week before we left. That's one of the reasons I agreed to come over here. I wanted to tell you in person."

"I'm so glad you did. This night wouldn't have been anywhere near as special for me without you here."

Penny kissed his cheek and made a confession, "I know. It's been pretty special for all of us. Oh, I have to tell you something else."

Leonard's face held a happy grin as he replied, "What?"

"I love you, too, Leonard Hofstadter. And I'm very, very, proud of you. You and Sheldon both deserve this dinner tonight, even if there were other honorees. But you were the guys that won that Sack…something prize."

Leonard threw his head back and laughed, "You mean the Sakurai Prize? Yeah, I'm pretty jazzed about that myself."

Penny grinned seductively, "Yeah? Well it makes me pretty damn hot, if you know what I mean."

"Really?"

"Yep. Just wait until I get you alone tonight."

Leonard made a bawdy suggestion to his wife, "Do you wanna leave now and get busy on addressing that issue?"

Penny giggled her answer, "That would be a bit rude, don't you think? It can wait another hour. But no longer than that."

"Deal."

Next to the Hofstadters, Helmut and Annelise were sharing their own, personal, moment.

Helmut beamed down at his lady as they danced and told her, "I am so happy you could be here tonight, Anna."

Annelise laid her head on his shoulder and answered dreamily, "I wouldn't have missed it for anything."

"Not even a good part in a great play?"

His girlfriend pulled back from Helmut's arms and replied, "You want to know something, Helmut? I've learned a lot from Penny and Niki about relationships. We have been separated so often because of my work. That has to stop. From now on, I will only accept offers that keep me close to you. I can act anywhere, but there is only one man for me, and that is you."

He nodded in response to her words and added, "And I have learned so much from Leonard and Sheldon. My work will never stop being important to me, you know that. But, I saw what happened to Sheldon when he was far from Niki and Lori. The man could barely function. And I could tell that Leonard missed his family more every day. Neither of them were very happy until their wives and children joined them. That is what I want for us, the same kind of bond. Whatever life holds for both of us, I want us to see it through together."

With that, as the music began to fade, Helmut got down on one knee in the middle of the dance floor and pulled a dark velvet box out of his coat pocket. Looking up at her with his heart in his eyes, he asked, "Annelise Hildegard Gruber, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

The young woman looked as if she were about to faint as she managed to squeak, "Yes, Helmut. I will marry you."

The other two couples on the dance floor turned to them with surprised expressions and were quick to join them for the celebration.

Penny was the first to speak, "Oh my god! Helmut couldn't have picked a better woman for his wife! I approve!"

Niki was quick to agree, "So do I!"

Sheldon added his approval to his wife's, "I feel compelled to side with the ladies. Anna, you are getting a fine young man as a husband. I do hope your marriage is as happy as ours."

Leonard happily chorused, "And ours!"

Penny squeezed her husband's hand and asked him, "Sweetie, can I tell Sheldon and Niki our news?"

"Sure! Go right ahead."

Niki asked her in an eager voice, "What news? Were you nominated for an Emmy?"

"No, silly. Nik, me and you are both gonna be mommas again. I think I'm due in September.""

Niki squealed her reply, "Me, too! Girlfriend, we can be pregnant together again!"

Sheldon turned to his friend and asked, "What do you think, Leonard? Should we be excited, or very afraid?"

"Buddy, I think I'm going for excited."

"Good. Then I can join you in your excitement!"

All three of the couples then left the dance floor and returned to their table, talking amongst themselves excitedly. Suddenly, Niki's phone alerted her that she had a message. Thinking it might be Mary sharing a problem with Lori, she immediately checked her texts. What she found was not about Lori, nor was it from Mary. It was from her mother, Audrey, and what the message said cause Niki to cry out, "Yessss!" and everyone else at the table to turn to her and ask, "What?"

 **What was in Audrey's text to make Niki have that kind of reaction? Does it have something to do with any of their little group?**


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42: The Search is Over

After her outburst, Niki sat back in her chair and gave everyone at the table a heartfelt smile as she explained to them, "That was my mother. She just gave me the best news!"

Sheldon looked over at his wife and asked, "What, she knows about the baby?"

Niki shook her head and smiled slyly, "No. Almost as good, maybe better."

"Well, are you going to sit there like an idol from Easter Island or are you going to inform us as to what she said?"

Niki gave a small sigh and grinned at the man across the table from her, "Okay. Here goes. Helmut, my mother heard from your mother. She's only about a hundred kilometers from here, in Stuttgart."

Penny interrupted her with a question, "Nik, you know I don't do metric. How far is 'about a hundred kilometers'?"

"Sorry, Penny. I forgot. It's about eighty miles."

Helmut's face grew quizzical and he prodded Niki with, "What is my mother doing in Stuttgart?"

Niki shrugged apologetically, "Mom didn't exactly say. She did say she has a job with Daimler. That's all."

Once again, Penny cut into the conversation with a question, "Daimler? Who or what is that?"

Annelise explained to her friend, "Daimler is a huge automotive company here in Germany."

Penny thought hard for a moment and then stated, "I've never heard of a Daimler."

Leonard gave a small chuckle and responded to his wife's question with, "No, you haven't. But, one car Daimler makes is Mercedes Benz. You've heard of them, right?"

"Mercedes?" Penny then turned to Helmut and asked him in an impressed voice, "Sweetie, your mother works for the people that make the Mercedes?"

Helmut answered her patiently, "Penny, Daimler makes much more than automobiles. They make motorcycles, trucks, and buses, also. They also provide financial services in Europe. The company has its fingers in many pots, so to speak. I wonder what it is that my mother does for them?"

Niki looked down at her phone once more and replied, "If you want to find that out, Aunt Helga asked my mother if we would meet her tomorrow for lunch at the hotel."

Helmut was confused for a moment then realized Niki meant the hotel she and Penny were staying at. He asked her for confirmation, "The ArtHotel?"

Niki nodded, "Yes. Are you willing to do that?"

"Of course. I am a bit nervous, but, yes, I want to meet her. I have so many questions to ask her."

This time, Penny interjected with some sage advice, "Helmut, don't you think, at least a first, that you two should let her do most of the talking? This will likely be pretty stressful for her."

Niki was quick to agree with her friend, "Right as usual, bestie. We should let her set the tone and then ask our questions later."

"Yes, that sounds good. Tell Aunt Audrey we accept and that we will meet my mother in the hotel lobby at one o'clock."

"Good." Niki's fingers flew across the keypad of her phone. "Okay, done."

Helmut stared out across the room and admitted, "I'm beginning to get a little nervous about this."

Sheldon attempted to sooth his friend's fear, "Don't be. You will have Niki with you. She always manages to calm me down when I am nervous.

Niki shook her head in disagreement and threw him a smirk, "Not always, Sheldon."

"All right. That is true. But, most of the time she can calm me."

Niki gave her husband a huge grin and announced, "That's better. Now, I suggest we all go get some rest. Helmut and I are going to have us a big day tomorrow and I do believe that Sheldon offered to take Leonard, Penny, and the kids to the zoo tomorrow. Am I right?"

"Correct, but good manners compel me to ask Annelise if she wishes to join us."

Annelise regretfully declined his offer, "Thank you for the invitation, Sheldon. I would ordinarily, but I think I will be nervously waiting by the phone to hear from Helmut. This is so important to him. I'm afraid I wouldn't be very good company on any outing."

"That I understand. I had much the same anxiety when I proposed to my first wife. Waiting to hear back was nerve racking."

Annelise brightened and asked him, "How long did you have to wait?"

"About a minute or two. It would have been a much shorter amount of time except Leonard called me on the phone and would not hang up."

Penny exclaimed, "Sweetie, we hadn't been able to get ahold of you for hours!"

"Of course not, I was on an airplane."

Now, it was Niki's turn to ask, "What?"

Sheldon waved her question off kindly, "I'll explain all of that later. Let's just say once Amy agreed to marry me, all my nerves calmed down and I returned to a homeostatic state. I am sure you will feel the same way, Helmut."

Helmut closed his eyes and mumbled, "I hope so, Sheldon. I sincerely hope so."

Leonard stood up and announced, "Okay, guys. Let's leave tomorrow alone for tonight and get out of here and get some rest."

Leonard agreed with him, then had a suggestion, "That sounds like a plan. Hey, if things go well at lunch, maybe we can all do dinner together tomorrow night. Me, Penny, the kids, the Coopers, and Helmut, Annelise and Helga."

"If things do go well, Leonard, I believe that would be an excellent idea. However, I do want to get my rest, so Anna and I will be bidding you good evening."

As the newly engaged couple left the hall, Penny turned to Niki and remarked, "He isn't going to sleep a wink tonight."

Niki looked at Penny and nodded, "Nope. Not a wink."

Sheldon grinned over at his wife and put his arm around her waist, "What about you, Niki? Are you not a tad excited, yourself?"

"Sheldon, she's my aunt, not my mother. It will be good to see her, but the dynamics of the meeting are completely different."

Sheldon nodded, appreciating his wife's words, "True, true. Then I suppose we should all go back to the hotel together. We all have a busy day, tomorrow."

Penny made what she hoped was a helpful suggestion, "Sheldon, Mary told me she wants to keep the kids tonight, so why don't we all go back to our apartment? There's two bedrooms there and you are used to sleeping there, so it won't feel strange to you."

Niki smiled warmly at her friend and replied, "I agree, Sheldon. You will sleep better there and then you guys can drop me off at the hotel when you pick up Lori and Blake."

Leonard chimed in, "That sound like a plan. What do you think, buddy?"

Sheldon pulled Niki closer and began to steer her towards the door, "I agree. Let's call it a night and go back to the apartment."

Thirty minutes later, all three couple were firmly ensconced in their respective beds. Want to be a little fly on the wall and listen in? Good. I thought so.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Annelise rolled over on her side and cradled her head in Helmut's shoulder. "Tonight was wonderful, I still can't believe everything that happened today. Tell me the truth, how long had you been thinking about proposing to me?"

Her fiancé gave a small chuckle and challenged that question with, "I will answer that one when you tell me how you three managed to get yourselves kidnapped in broad daylight."

Annelise sighed, rolled over onto her back and began her explanation of the day's events, "Well, Penny's feet were beginning to hurt, so we flagged a cab. How were we to know that the taxi was being driven by one of Europe's most nefarious underworld figures?"

"So, Anna, he took you here, to the Bahnstadt?"

She nodded, "Yes. He tied us up in a room in the Skylabs."

Helmut looked at her in wonder, "And you managed to escape in time to go clean up and make it to the dinner before it was over. How did you manage that?"

Annelise threw her head back and gave an enthusiastic laugh, "The bad guys didn't know I was double jointed, so getting myself free from the ropes was quite easy, actually."

"As Sheldon would say, 'child's play'."

"Something like that. Now tell me, darling, how long had you had marrying me on your mind?"

Helmut put his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling as he confessed, "Truth? Since the moment I met you. But I bought that ring about a week ago, when I realized that two women I had never met before and did not know at all were willing to travel halfway around the world just to be with someone they loved. It was then I realized that love was more powerful than anyone's doubts, including mine."

Annelise sat up and asked him pointedly, "You doubted 'us'?"

"Not exactly. Just our situation. But it was Sheldon who taught me the true power of love. The mere notion of losing Niki rendered the poor man catatonic. His love for her was that powerful. I also realized that mine for you was similar. No matter where you go for work, you will always have my heart, Anna."

At his words, Annelise snuggled closer to her man, "As I told you earlier, Helmut, I will do my best to stay near to you from now on. London was an exciting place, but it was empty without you. From now on, home will be wherever we are together, that I promise you."

Helmut pulled her even closer and whispered softly, "Anna, you are an amazing woman and you never cease to amaze me. Life with you will be far from boring."

Annelise grinned as her hands explored his body, "My dearest Helmut, may I show just how interesting life with me will be in one department?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Okay, Penny. Why didn't you tell me this wonderful news when you first got here?"

"Lots of reasons. First, I was waiting for Nik to tell Sheldon, their needs were more important than ours right then. Second, I wanted to let you gloat over your award for a little while before my news stole your thunder. And last, I didn't know for sure how you would take it."

Leonard pulled his wife close to him and responded emphatically, "Not know how I would take it? Penny, you know I love being a father. One more is definitely good news."

"Okay. Let's decide this right here and now. Do you want a boy or a girl this time?"

Leonard pretended an indifference he was far from feeling, "I don't care, really."

Penny was not about to give him the lie, "Yeah, you do. You're just afraid to tell me. Come on, what do you want? A little Penny or a little Leonard?"

"First of all, we are NOT going to name our kids after us, but I get what you're saying. I'm going to go out on a limb and say a girl."

"Why?"

Leonard made a somewhat embarrassed confession, "I see how much Sheldon and Lori adore each other and I'd love to have a little girl who thinks I'm King of the World."

"My worship of you doesn't count, huh?"

Leonard reached over to grab his glasses from the nightstand and then rolled over to face his wife, "Penny, you love me. But you also see my faults. Lori sees nothing but perfection in Sheldon. I think I might enjoy having a Daddy's girl."

Penny kissed her husband sweetly on the cheek and reassured him , "Sweetie, Blake has a big case of hero worship for you. He knows that this dinner tonight was partly honoring the work you and his Uncle Sheldon have done."

"I know. But someday he might get into sports or other things cool guys do and I might not look so great to him."

Penny sat up and glared at Leonard before continuing on in a kind voice, "You're his father. Nothing's going to change that. Nothing. Blake will always love you, for exactly who and what you are."

Leonard asked her in a worried voice, "How can you be so sure of that?"

At that question, Penny grinned broadly and wrapped herself around him seductively, "Easy. He sees how happy you make his mommy, just by being you. Kids vibe that real easy. Relax. The kid thinks you're darn near perfect, even if you can't throw a pass for a touchdown or charge through the paint for a monster dunk. You're busy solving the mysteries of the entire universe, and that's really something."

"You've got a unique way of putting things, but guess what?"

Penny loosened her grip and asked a short question, "What?"

"You're right. I'm his dad and nothing will change that. Thanks, honey. I needed that."

Penny couldn't resist teasing him, "Still want a girl?"

Leonard nodded resolutely, "Yep. They're just so cute with their little dresses and hair bows."

Penny suddenly sat up in the bed, an alarmed look on her face, "Wait, don't do what my dad did, don't force her to be something she's not. Maybe she'll want to be a tomboy."

Leonard pulled his wife back down next to him and held her close, "Then she'll be the most loved, beautiful tomboy in the entire world."

At her spouse's response, Penny melted in his arms and cooed, "Just when I think I can't love you any more than I do, you go and say something like that. Leonard, I can't think of anything I want more than having you as the father of my children."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I love you. Want me to show you how much?"

Leonard's lips found those of his wife's, but not before whispering in her ear, "You had to ask?"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Sheldon Cooper stepped out of the shower and fondly looked over at his wife, who was busy removing her makeup before she climbed into bed. "You do know, Niki, that you need no makeup to look beautiful in my eyes."

Niki Cooper looked back over her shoulder at her husband and truthfully remarked, "I never thought I did. This was for me and me alone. I wanted to be confident when I walked into the hall, and I was."

Sheldon walked over to his wife and gently laid his hands on her shoulders, "It was a wonderful touch that you dressed as you did on our wedding day. Though I must say that you have grown only more beautiful over time."

His wife continued removing her makeup as she asked, "How's that?"

"Marriage and motherhood both agree with you."

Niki grinned and nodded as she replied, "That they do. I thought I was truly happy before we got married, and maybe I was, but it can't compete with the satisfaction I feel now regarding my life."

At her words, Sheldon felt compelled to remind her, "Well, we did win those Nobels together."

Niki dismissed his words with a wave of her hand, "That has nothing to do with it. The biggest prizes I ever won were you and Lori. Plain and simple. And now we are expecting another prize. Sheldon, I have truly been blessed."

Cooper thought quietly for a moment and then asked in a concerned tone, "Speaking of adding another member to our family, what will we do about fitting another child into our home? The reality is, we only have a two-bedroom home."

His wife gave him a wry grin and replied, "Well, we have a few options in that regard."

"All right. Could you kindly inform me as to what they are?"

Niki shrugged as she made her first suggestion, "Well, we could put the new baby in the huge back storage room of your closet. The space is easily as big as most people's nurseries. I would be more than willing to keep some of your things in my closet."

"Why would we put the child in my closet space and not yours?"

His wife ticked the reasons off on her fingers, "One, it's closer to our bed, and two, you have less stuff in your closet."

Sheldon gave his wife a disbelieving look and asked her a simple, pointed, question, "How will you ever fit any of my things in your closet? You have more shoes and purses than any other woman I know, except for possibly Penny."

Niki stood up and answered him as she crossed the room to their bed, "I know, I do. Soooo, I'm willing to do a purge of my closet to make room for your things. You are right, I have way too many accessories, and most of them I seldom, if ever, use. So, I will be donating a lot of that stuff to charity and making room for your comic books and action figures."

Her husband was quick to respond, "I do believe that this is one of those situations where the old adage, 'what's fair is fair' comes into play. I, too, will purge my closet of any unnecessary items."

"But many of your collectibles, like your comic books, train sets, and mint condition action figures are worth a lot of money. I can't have you getting rid of those."

Sheldon crawled into bed as he looked aghast and blurted out, "Who said I was getting rid of anything? Listen to my proposition. We will build an extra room onto our house. Most likely connected to our bedroom. Until the new child is older, they will have the back of my closet for their room and we will make room somewhere in our closets for both our possessions. Please keep your things, some of them are quite valuable as well. We will fit everything into the front of my closet and in the back and front of yours. By the time our next child is approaching one-year in age, we should have the new room finished and they will sleep there. Then, we transfer all our belongings back to our respective closets."

Niki moved closer, wrapped her arms around her husband, and then nuzzled his neck while replying, "I do believe I have the best husband in the entire world. Sometimes, Cooper, you say just the right thing to make me fall in love with you all over again."

"Niki, as you once challenged me, prove it."

Niki stared at him with wide eyes and replied, "Say what?"

Sheldon's eidetic memory came into play as he reminded her, "I once lauded you with similar words of love and you asked me to prove it to you physically. I have just turned the tables on you, my dear. Bazinga!"

Niki pulled him close and began caressing his chest and shoulders, "No Bazinga at all. As you said, what's fair is fair. I will now gladly return the favor."

Sheldon began to reciprocate her attentions and whispered in a voice filled with rising desire, "And I will most gladly accept it."

 **Well, it seems all three of our couples are having the perfect end to an eventful day. What's next? Helmut is reunited with his mother. How will that go down? It should be interesting.**


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Mother and Child Reunion

 **Helmut and Niki meet up with Helga Hoffman. Will this be a joyous occasion or a complete disaster?**

At noon the next day, Niki and Sheldon made their way to the ArtHotel to meet up with Leonard, Penny, and Blake. Sheldon's plans for the day were to pick up Lori and join their friends at the Metro Station for a trip to the local zoo. They took the elevator up to the hotel room where Mary was dutifully watching Lori, Blake having already been retrieved by his parents. "I ain't ashamed to tell you guys that, while I love both those two little rapscallions, I'm sure looking forward to spending a few days alone with Alfred."

Sheldon scooped up a delighted Lori and then addressed his mother, "Have no fear, I have made plans for the next week that will keep our daughter with us at all times. I do suppose I have to thank you for watching the children the past few days. We couldn't have managed without you."

Niki seconded his emotion with, "Mary, you've been a lifesaver. Lori is so very lucky to have you and Alfred as grandparents. Blake, too. Enjoy your time with your husband away from the kids. It's your turn now."

Mary headed for the door, looking back over her shoulder to tell them, "Thanks for the kind words, you two. Alfred said he was gonna meet me at the train station at noon. So, I called a cab which should be here in a minute or two. I'm headed downstairs to meet them, so if I don't see you two for a few days, just know I love you all, be safe, and have fun with the kids."

As she walked to the elevator, its doors opened, and Helmut Hoffman emerged. "Why hello," Mary called to him. "You're that German friend of Shelly and Lenny's. I met you and your pretty lady the other night at dinner."

Helmut greeted her with a smile and warm, "Hello, Mrs. Hofstadter. You are correct. You met me and Annelise when Niki and Penny first got here. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you once more."

Mary studied him quizzically and asked, "What are you doing here at this hotel? I thought you would be working at teachin' or something."

"I have no classes to teach today. Mid-term exams are coming up and my study classes are being covered by my teaching assistant."

"Oh, are you going to the zoo with Shelly and Lori?"

Helmut shook his head and explained, "No, I have come to see Niki. I don't suppose she has filled you in on this, but I am meeting my mother today in about an hour. Niki has volunteered to go with me for moral support."

Mary gave him a happy smile and replied, "Come to think of it, she did mention something about that last night. Well, that's really kind of her, Helmut. Niki is a good person to take with you, she has a good head on those shoulders of hers, most of the time, anyway."

"Yes, Sheldon has said much the same thing about her."

Sheldon's mother grinned at Helmut's words, "Did he? It's about that time that boy of mine opened his eyes to the real world. Anyway, good luck meeting your Momma. I gotta go meet my husband at the train station, so I guess I'll say goodbye."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Hofstadter. And thank you for the good wishes."

Mary corrected him, "Would you please just call me Mary? Everyone else does."

Helmut executed a courtly bow and responded with, "Very well. Goodbye, Mary."

"My, that was classy lookin'. Well, goodbye to you, too." With that, the elevator doors opened once more, and Mary stepped inside before they closed.

After Sheldon, Lori, and Mary had left, Niki sat by herself for a minute or two, pondering her next move. Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door and rightfully assumed it was Helmut. "Come in!" she called out happily.

Helmut entered the hotel room and as he surveyed the room, greeted his cousin with, "Good morning, Niki. I take it everyone has left for the zoo?"

Niki nodded as she took a sip of coffee from her cup, "Yeah, Sheldon took Lori to meet the others downstairs. Now, how are you feeling? Nervous?"

"A bit, but I have you to help me."

Niki motioned him to sit beside her, "Help you with what?"

Helmut sat next to her as he answered her question with a single word, "Courage."

Sheldon's wife patted his hand reassuringly, "Don't be worried, please. If you and Aunt Helga find common ground, then the forgiveness and healing can begin. If you don't, you go back to the same happy life you had before we found her. Really, it's a win/win deal. Don't you think?"

"I never thought of it that way. Thank you. You are every bit as clever as Sheldon has said you are."

Niki got up and headed to the kitchenette, "Coffee?" As Helmut shook his head 'no', she added, "He told you that?"

Helmut watched her as she crossed the room to rejoin him, "In so many words. He told me, more or less, that you are a very pragmatic, calming, influence on him whenever he needs that from you."

As she sat back down on the couch, Niki gave him a wry grin and replied, "Sometimes. I have to confess, I do have a bit of a temper sometimes."

"Which he also relayed to me. However, he explained it never shows up without good reason. And knowing Sheldon, I can see that it makes a somewhat regular appearance."

Niki was quick to defend her husband, "Not as often as you would think, Helmut. The Sheldon you have met here is a lot more on edge than the Sheldon at home. In the last few years, he's learned how to communicate and share more with others and I've learned to bite my tongue when I want to get sarcastic or angry. We've both come a long way since we've been together."

Helmut gave a faint chuckle and asked, "Could it be said that you two bring out the best in each other?"

Niki nodded, "Pretty much nailed it on the head with that. Yep. With his trip here, we have also learned that neither of us are at our best when we are apart for too long. So, I don't want that to happen again if we can avoid it."

Their conversation was interrupted by the ringtone from Niki's phone.

She answered with more than a little trepidation, ' _Hello?_

 _Niki?_

 _Mom! How are you?_

 _Just fine, sweetheart. I'm just calling to tell you that Helga is looking forward to meeting the two of you. She hasn't seen you since we visited her when you were a teenager. I have to tell you that she is so proud of you and everything you've done with your life._

 _How does she feel about Helmut and his life?_

 _Honey, she's feeling a lot of guilt about what she did to him. She doesn't really talk about him much to me. I hope she opens up a bit more when she sees him. Anyway, she did tell me she loves him and that she has something to tell him. So…maybe she will end up explaining everything to you two._

 _We can only hope, Mom._

 _Niki, I've got to go. Richard and I are busy planning our wedding and we're going out to pick a venue tonight. Oh, nothing fancy like you had, just something classy and intimate._

 _Good luck with that. It was Sheldon who came up with the Queen Mary, not me._

 _And it was lovely. You married a good one, honey. Never forget that._

 _I haven't, believe me._

 _Well, I'll let you guys get going. I just wanted to wish the both of you good luck today. Call me and let me know how it goes._

 _I will, Mom. 'Bye._

Helmut looked over at Niki and asked, "Your mother?"

"Yep. She just called to wish us luck with the meeting." She gave her cousin a reassuring smile, "Not that we need it or anything,"

Helmut looked up at the ceiling as he replied, "Speak for yourself, Niki."

"Look, listen to me. When we first get there, I'll break the ice. Once she relaxes, she's all yours."

Helmut got up and began to pace around the room, "That sounds good, but what do I say to her?"

Niki's eyes followed him around as he moved, "Well, don't grill her right away. Just make small talk. Tell her about your job and Annelise. That should do for a bit. If you get stuck, I'll help you."

Helmut stopped his pacing and stood in from of her, "Thanks, Niki. Well, it's almost time. Are you ready to go down to the lobby?"

His cousin rose from the couch and tried to calm him once more, "As ready as I'll ever be. Relax, I've bought plenty of pictures of Lori and Sheldon to show her. That will kill some time. Remember, this is your mother and if _my_ mother is correct, she loves you very much and feels a lot of regret for what she did. Just start with that, okay?"

Helmut looked toward the door and swallowed hard, "Okay, I suppose I can do that."

"Now, what do you say we get down there and meet her? This could end up being really good."

"Or a complete disaster."

Niki replied a little testily as she grabbed her bag and headed for the door, "Helmut, think positively. It will go great. "

He sighed and followed her, "If you say so…."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

When they entered the lobby, Niki spotted her aunt immediately as she looked very similar to her mother, Audrey, "Aunt Helga!" she called as she raced across the room and into her aunt's arms.

Her aunt wrapped the younger woman in a tight bear hug and exclaimed, "Nikita, sweetheart! Look what a beautiful woman you've grown up to be. You look just like your mother when she was younger."

Niki suddenly grew shy and gestured for Helmut to join them. "Aunt Helga, this is Helmut. He's grown up to be quite an attractive adult, also."

Helga stared hard at her son as tears filled her eyes, "Yes, he has at that." She then addressed him directly, "Helmut, I do believe we have a lot of catching up to do. Shall we head for the dining room of this hotel for a chat and a bit of lunch?"

Helmut remained speechless and merely nodded his head in reply, then followed his mother and cousin to the dining room. Trepidation filled every cell in his body, but an unrelenting curiosity kept him from running out the door and back to his apartment. There was so much he needed to know and the only way to get the answers he wanted was to join the two women for lunch. Still, his stomach was tied in knots and he was quickly losing his customary cool, detached, persona.

Once seated and their lunch orders placed, Helmut attempted some small talk with his mother, "Mother, Niki has informed me you work for Daimler. Just what is it that you do there?"

"I'm the head of the regional finance department. Son, when I ran from you and your father, I was fairly young, and I drifted around Europe for some time. Then, as usually happens, I began to mature and deal with both my lack of finances and my guilt. So, I enrolled in the local university and began some much-needed therapy with the intention of fixing myself so I would never run from anything ever again. I eventually graduated with a degree in business, started off with a job in the telemarketing department at Daimler, and because I was bilingual in English and German, I was promoted fairly frequently until I was given my current position. I hope that answers your question."

"That question, yes. But I do have another one."

Helga steeled herself for what she knew was coming, "Yes?"

"How the hell do you run off on some grand adventure and leave a loving husband and child in your wake? I know I could never do that!"

At that point, Niki angrily interjected with, "Helmut, stop! Just stop, damn you!"

Helmut and Helga both stared at her in disbelief, and she began to explain her outburst to them, "I'm sorry, Helmut. I wasn't trying to be rude or defend your mother's actions in any way, shape, or form. However, you should never use the words, 'I would never' when critiquing someone else's life. EVER. Helmut, as you know, I was married once before I met Sheldon."

He nodded and added sympathetically, "Yes, I know. You were widowed."

"But that's all you know. Here's something you didn't. While I was married my husband cheated on me many times. In fact, he was a serial cheater."

Helmut was taken aback at her words, "I'm sorry. I did not know that. Now, if you had left your husband, I would have understood why."

Niki gave her cousin a wry grin and went on to make an important point, "That's just it. Most people would have understood if I had left him, with a smug, 'that's what I would have done', attitude. The thing is, I didn't leave him. And a lot of people said those same words to me that you just threw at your mother. Instead of an indictment, why didn't you ask her why she did that? It might just help you make sense out of her actions." Niki saw his face contort in denial, "Maybe not, but you wouldn't have lost anything for asking."

"Very well. Why don't I start off by asking you, Niki, why you stayed?"

Niki patiently began to explain her actions, "There were several reasons, really. Some of them quite selfish and callous, and some of them not. First, I stayed because I was scared."

He challenged her smugly, "Scared of being alone or of what people would think?"

Niki shook her head decisively, "No, not at all for either of them. I was scared that leaving would hurt my career. If Paul and I had gotten into a protracted divorce, my attention would have been diverted from my career and it would have suffered. I had just secured a job with a most prestigious university and I wasn't about to put that on the line because my husband couldn't keep his dick in his pants." At their shocked faces, Niki went on to explain, "He wouldn't have been hurt by the divorce professionally. He came from a long line of powerful attorneys. My career, on the other hand, would likely have been decimated. His people were very, very powerful and they would have seen to it that my career suffered greatly."

Helmut stared across the table at his cousin, aghast, "He would have done that to you?"

Once again, Niki shook her head and explained, "Not him. No, outside of the cheating, Paul was a caring, decent, human being. But his family sure would have been pissed and they would have taken it out on me without a moment's hesitation."

"Okay, what about your other reasons?"

Niki lowered her head in shame and confessed, "Well…this is where the selfish part comes in. We led a very exciting life together. Through Paul, I was introduced to many celebrities and powerful people. We had them over for dinner parties quite often. I would be lying to both of you if I said I was willing to give that up at that time. That was the selfish reason."

Helmut's face held a huge question mark and he prodded her for more, "And?"

Niki let out a long sigh and continued, "The most important reason was, at the end of the day, I loved my husband. We made a very good couple, also. When he wasn't off cheating we had a lot of fun together and our marriage was both fulfilling and affectionate. No one in my entire life has ever made me laugh like Paul did. So, I weighed the good against the bad, decided there was more good than bad in our marriage, so I stayed. Very few people understood that, and I was attacked for staying more than once in a while. Let me tell you this, when Paul died, I was destroyed. Everything I had been afraid of came to pass. His family turned on me, my career went down the tubes, I lost someone I loved dearly, and all those important people I thought were my friends magically disappeared."

Helmut leaned forward across the table and asked her, "So, what is the point of you telling us all this?"

"Helmut, few people understood why I did what I did. If you think people are simple to understand, guess again. We all have something inside us we don't show to very many people, and that something drives us to be who and what we are. Instead of judging, why don't more of us try to understand there's always a reason people act in ways we can't comprehend."

Helmut leaned back in his seat and told her, "I can see now how you have stayed married to Sheldon. You understand where his many foibles come from."

Niki laughed out loud at his pronouncement, "Most of the time, yes. However, there have been times I have put my foot down and told him to cut the bs. He has done the same to me. We both see that as a positive thing, not a negative one. We are helping each other grow and become better people."

Helmut then turned to Helga, "I see. Then I feel I must ask my mother, why did you leave us? I truly want to understand."

"First off, let me apologize for all that I did to you when I left. Or more truthfully, what I didn't do. I didn't take you with me. But I had my reasons, believe me."

"And those would be?

Helga gave her son a pained look, leaned back, closed her eyes and began to speak, "I suppose for you to truly understand, I will have to start at the beginning of all of this. When I was eighteen, my parents were putting pressure on me to marry the son of some friends of theirs. Not a little pressure, a lot of pressure as in cutting me off financially and making threats to ruin me if I did not do as they wished. I was scared, but also stubborn. I decided I wasn't about to marry this man, no matter what the repercussions might have been.

"All hell was about to break loose when Kurt, your father, showed up in our town to do some business with my father. He was charming when he met me, but I had no idea he was attracted to me. He was about fifteen years older than me and I figured that a man that worldly and handsome could never be attracted to a teenage girl-next-door type. But he was.

"He began to court me, with my parents' complete approbation. They were impressed that a man with that much money, who hailed from Europe, was interested in their little girl. Soon, their friends' son was forgotten, and they pushed me to marry your father.

"I agreed, but said I wanted to be married in Europe, which everyone agreed to. The catch is, I just wanted to escape Milwaukee and my parents. I had no intention of marrying Kurt, or anyone else for that matter. I was attracted to him, sure, but I wasn't in love with him. I just saw him as a means to get to Europe, where I had always fantasized I would someday live.

"To make a long story short, we got to Germany, I hesitated about getting married, and Kurt had one of his good friends, 'persuade' me to go through with it. It wasn't pretty. I was tied up in a room and left alone for over eight hours. When his friend came back, I was so hungry, thirsty, and needing to use the restroom, I agreed to the marriage. All was fine for some time. Your father was a good husband. Kind, generous, romantic, sophisticated, but also very, very, controlling. He used his 'friend' and his force once again to get me to agree to having a child. So, in due time, I got pregnant with you, gave birth, and settled down into my new role as a wife and mother. Only I was scared, angry, and miserable. I stayed out of fear for a few years, but eventually, I just ran away from the whole mess."

"Why didn't you take me?"

At his question, Helga opened her eyes and gave him a direct stare, "I could have, if I had wanted to be killed. Your father loved you even more than me, and while it is easy for a young woman to disappear in Europe, a young woman with a small child would have easily been found. So, I had to go solo. For that, Helmut, I apologize."

Her son looked at her disbelievingly, "Mother, that's quite a story. I don't know that I believe all of it, though I am trying."

A light bulb suddenly went off in Niki's head and she had some questions of her own to ask her aunt, "Just a minute, please. Aunt Helga, you said you were tied up and forced to marry Kurt. Am I correct?"

Helga turned to her niece and nodded, "Yes. Kurt's best friend is a major underworld figure here in Europe. He and his henchmen have all kinds of nasty ways of getting what they want."

Niki then asked her with a sense of urgency in her voice, "And this man's name would be?"

"Why do you ask? His name is not important to my story."

Niki's eyes were pleading, "No, but it is to mine."

Helga was now completely confused, "How is that?"

Her niece began to relate her own story, "Yesterday, my friends and I were kidnapped and tied up. All in an effort to get one of this man's clients what she wanted. It's probably just a coincidence, but what was this enforcer's name?"

Helmut and Niki both exchanged a look of shock and sudden understanding when Helga revealed the man's name, "Hugo. Hugo Fronek."

 **Well, well, well. Isn't this an interesting development?**


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Apologies and Explanations

Niki's head snapped to attention and she blurted out, "Hugo Fronek? That's the guy that kidnapped us today!"

Helga placed one of her hands softly on Niki's arm, "Oh, my dear. You must have been terrified!"

Her niece shook her head and grinned slightly, "Not really. We had Penny Hofstadter with us and she's not afraid of much, especially some goon who interrupts an outing with her friends."

The older woman smiled and replied, "You got free, I see."

"Thanks to Annelise."

Helga addressed her question to Helmut, "What did she do, dear? She paused in her questioning as their waiter brought their dessert orders to their table.

Her son responded in a happy voice as he attacked his ice cream, "Anna happens to be double jointed. It was fairly easy for her to loosen the ropes they were tied with and free herself and the others."

Niki began to explain further, "If it hadn't been for Anna, we might still have been tied up. But, it was Penny who led our revenge. We once took a self-defense class with another friend of ours, and she hadn't forgotten any of the moves. With Penny leading us, we made short work of Hugo and friends and headed home to get ready for last night's banquet."

Helga's eyes went wide as she asked her, "What happened to Hugo?"

Niki sampled her dessert and then replied, "Well, we left him tied up and unbeknownst to me, Penny called the police and tipped them off as to what happened and where Hugo and his henchmen could be found."

Helga took a bite of her strudel and then asked, "The police found them?"

Niki grinned to herself and continued, "Yep. And arrested them for kidnapping. It seems the slimeball is wanted for all sorts of nefarious deeds across Europe."

Niki's aunt's face showed true concern as she probed her niece further, "Will he go to trial?"

"Oh yeah. Me, Annelise, and Penny are all going to testify against him."

Helga's face suddenly brightened, and she inquired in an excited voice, "Do you think I would be allowed to testify as to what Hugo did to me?"

Niki thought for a moment before answering, "I don't know how the laws are here, but in the states, no. The statute of limitations would have run out. You can call and see, though."

Helmut joined the conversation by pointing out to his cousin, "Niki, here in Germany, there is no statute of limitations for murder, and for serious crimes, I think it is either twenty of thirty years. Hugo is wanted for many crimes, but perhaps your testimony would be welcome to the courts. I agree with Niki, Mother, call the local police and find out."

Helga looked shocked and touched at the same time as she answered him a barely-there voice, "You called me Mother, Helmut."

"Well, pragmatically speaking, you are. Also, after what you have told us, I can very well understand much of what you did. But why did you not keep in touch beyond that one card?"

His mother decided it was time to come clean about her lost years, "Son, it was very risky of me to do that much. I cleared it with your father first and he allowed it. However, Hugo must have gotten wind of it somehow and I was soon informed that any further communication with you would lead to nothing good for me."

"Then why did you get in touch with me now?"

Helga gave a long sigh and explained to her son, "I no longer cared what Hugo could, or would, do to me. I wanted to see you again much worse than I wanted to avoid any repercussions."

Helmut was speechless for a minute and then looked at his mother with greater understanding and managed a reply tinged with wonder and respect, "You risked your life to see me."

"Helmut, I have no real life without my son in it. Please forgive me for everything I have done to you."

Helmut reached across the table and took his mother's hand, "There is nothing to forgive. You were young, powerless, and scared. You are no longer scared, are you?"

Helga shook her head resolutely, "No. And I am no longer a child who is afraid of everything. Let them come for me, I don't care. I have seen my son again and that is worth everything."

The tears in Helmut's eyes began to spill out and run down his face as he squeezed Helga's hand and whispered, "Mother…"

Helga squeezed back and looked at him with love, "Son…"

"Mother, I don't want to lose you again. Ever. Please say this is a beginning and not an end. I will talk to Father about this. He was very cruel and unfair to you. I do hope I can forgive him."

Helga responded to his words kindly as she resumed sampling her dessert, "Helmut, he was also afraid of Hugo. And don't forget, I used him to escape my life in Milwaukee. There are no innocent parties here. But Kurt was an excellent father to you. He did what he had to do to protect you. I have nothing but respect and understanding for him, not anger."

Helmut thought a moment and then asked, "What about love?"

His mother pondered his question and then replied hesitantly, "Perhaps. Yes, I suppose that respect is some form of love. I never hated your father, I hated what my life had become. I think Hugo also bullied Kurt in some way."

"May I tell him that, also? He has never had a serious relationship since you left. Oh, there were girlfriends in his life, but none of them lasted very long. I can now see he was comparing all of them to you. Please say you will meet up with Father. I will come, too."

Helga thought deeply for a moment and then replied, "First, arrange a phone call. Then, if all goes well, I would love to see Kurt once more."

Helmut took a bite of his dessert and nodded his agreement with his mother's plan, "I shall do that today. Mother, I want the chance to get to know you, without the ghosts of the past haunting us."

Niki looked up from her crème brulee to remind her cousin, "Excuse me for interrupting, but didn't we say that if things went well with your mother, we would invite her to have dinner with all of us tonight?"

His face exploded in happiness as he exclaimed, "We did, we did! Mother, would you care to join us? Or do I call you the German, Mutter?"

Helga grinned at her son as she responded to him with, "Helmut, I really don't care. But I am American, not German. I'm just of German descent. I suppose either is fine. But I do love Germany. I must, or I would have left years ago."

Helmut scooted his chair back and prepared to rise, "Mother, let's leave and have some time alone, to catch up and get to know each other better. Niki, I hope you will understand."

His cousin smiled warmly at both her table companions as, she too, prepared to leave, "Completely! I'm going to go back to the hotel room and get some rest. I'm feeling pretty tired."

Helga shot her a concerned look, "Did that dinner run late last night? If so, I also feel bad keeping you from getting some rest. You too, Son.

Niki shook her head and replied, "No, Aunt Helga. The banquet ended at a decent hour. I've just been running on empty lately. I'm blaming it on jet lag."

Helmut threw her a mischievous look, "That is not the entire story, is it Niki?" He then looked toward his mother and explained, "Mother, she is pregnant with her second child."

His mother's hand flew to her mouth, "Oh my dear! I didn't mean to keep you here this long. I will wish you congratulations. I suppose your husband is overjoyed at this news?"

Niki smiled broadly and answered, "Definitely. And you didn't keep me from anything, Aunt Helga. It was wonderful to see you again and have everything turn out as it has. I can't wait for you to meet my husband, Sheldon and my daughter, Lori."

Helmut added enthusiastically, "And Annelise, and Penny, and Leonard, and well, I guess we will have to introduce you to everyone tonight."

Helga laughed at his excitement and rose from her seat, "I'm sure I will love meeting them all."

Niki also stood up, "I know you will. They're all good people. But for now, I'm off to my room for some much-needed rest. You and Helmut enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

"We will, darling. Oh, Nikita…"

"What?"

Her arm went around her niece's waist and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Do thank your mother for helping us get together. It wouldn't have worked without her. Give her my thanks…and my love."

Niki kissed her aunt on the cheek and assured her as she turned to leave, "I will Aunt Helga, I will."

Helga then linked her arm through her son's and steered him towards the door, "Now, my darling, let's go somewhere quiet to talk. We have some serious catching up to do."

"That we have, Mother, that we have."

 **All is well with Mother and Son. But how will the dinner with everyone else go? Guess what? You all will have a front row seat.**


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45: What Now?

 **I am so sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. Work got crazy during and right after the holidays. I was literally coming home to grab a quick meal, go to bed, and then go right back to work. I also had to manage time for my personal life in all of that. Again, sorry. Things are now slowing down and I will now be more punctual in my postings.**

 **Now, back to our story:**

Niki was woken up from a sound sleep by the sounds of Sheldon and Lori, chatting excitedly about their day at the zoo. A contented smile crossed Niki's face as she listened in on their conversation.

"DaDa, what did you wuv best?"

"As always, it was the koalas. What about you, Princess? What animal did you enjoy seeing the most?"

Niki heard her daughter's voice almost chortle as she happily exclaimed, "It wasn't a animal, DaDa. What I wuved the most was being wif Uncle Weonard and Bwake. It made me happy, wike home."

Sheldon's voice almost cooed as he responded to Lori's words, "Precious, we shall be going home very, very, soon. All of us. You, me, Mommy, Uncle Leonard, Blake, and Aunt Penny."

"Hewmut? And Annaweese? "

All went silent for a long moment and then Niki heard her husband explain, "That is something I have to discuss with your mother and Helmut. But perhaps."

"I wike dem, DaDa."

Niki heard their voices come closer, so she knew they had crossed the living room and were now close to the hall, "So do I, Princess. So do I. Now, I think it's time you laid down for a nap before dinner. In fact, that is what I will also do. The zoo is a very exhausting place to visit, isn't it, Precious?"

Lori didn't answer him. She had found the nearest chair in the room to curl herself up into and her father saw that she was sound asleep in its cozy confines.

Sheldon looked down at his small daughter and Niki overheard him give a soft chuckle as he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. After tucking her into the small bed the hotel had provided, he headed down the hall to rejoin his wife and share his day with her and vice versa.

Sheldon attempted to enter the room with stealth, but stubbed his toe on a large piece of luggage that had been left on the floor. He muttered several oaths under his breath, only stopping when he heard a soft giggle coming from the bed.

He then turned to face the bed and addressed his wife, "Okay, Miss Smarty Pants, I see you are awake. How did the big reunion go?"

Niki smiled fondly up at him from the bed and replied, "Better than I could have ever hoped for. Let's just say that Helmut and Helga are well on their way to rebuilding their relationship. Which brings up my next point, Schatze. Would you mind if they both came to dinner with us tonight? I know it would mean so much to my aunt, and I think to Helmut, also."

Sheldon sat down on a chair and began to remove his shoes, "So I take it Helga has explained her long absence in a plausible manner?"

His wife's eyes grew wide as she answered him, "More than that, Sheldon. It seems the man behind the kidnapping yesterday was one of the main catalysts for her disappearance."

At that, Sheldon quickly stood up and started removing his clothes, "Fascinating. I'd love to hear more about that."

Niki nodded and sat up in the bed, "You will. Tonight. I invited Aunt Helga to join us. I know we kind of talked about that before, but I'm serious about it now. Will you be upset if she comes with Helmut?"

"Not at all. Though that's not really my call, now is it?"

Niki looked up at Sheldon and expounded on her words, "No, but I always try to include you in my decision making whenever possible. Like now."

Sheldon's eyes went cobalt blue as he teased her, "I knew there was a reason I loved you, Freckles.""

"That's the only one, huh?" she teased him back.

Niki's husband's only response to that was to throw his head back, let out a delighted laugh and then dive onto the bed to join her. He wrapped her in his arms and then suggested, "My dearest Niki, why don't we both head for the shower and we can show each some of the other ways we have of expressing our feeling for each other."

The sounds of passion emanating a few minutes later from the shower showed that they were both doing exactly that.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

After their shower, the happy couple returned to the bed and caught up with each other's adventures of the day.

Sheldon's arms went around his wife and he whispered in her ear, "You never fail to excite and please me, Niki. That is but one of your many charms."

Niki's face grew thoughtful and she responded to his compliment with, "Ditto. I'm not certain of this, but just like when I was pregnant with Lori, my libido has gone into overdrive. It must be the hormones."

Sheldon grinned mischievously at his wife and asked, "May I make a suggestion?"

"But of course. What is it?"

He propped himself up on one elbow and continued, "I believe we should take advantage of your raised libido at every opportunity while it lasts."

Now it was Niki's turn to get mischievous as she traced hearts on his chest, "I second the notion. Of course, both sets of parents may be called in for a bit of babysitting."

Sheldon pulled her on top of him and murmured into her hair, "Agreed. But none of them seem to mind. The only negative feedback I have gotten from my parents is when a week has gone by and they haven't seen their granddaughter."

Niki gave a hearty laugh and answered that with, "Same here. I think my mother mentioned the other day that she may be wanting to take Lori with her and Richard to San Diego for a couple of days when we get back. Would that be okay with you, or would that be a problem?"

"Excuse me, Niki, I don't view that as a problem. I see that as a prime opportunity for us to 'get busy' as much as possible. It is more than 'okay' with me."

Niki rolled off her husband, looked straight into his eyes and replied in what she hoped was a serious voice, "That, and we can get some research work done, too."

Sheldon's hands went between his wife's legs, "Niki, I'm not thinking about work right now."

His wife's hands also wandered, tracing their way down his body and she suddenly broke out into a wide smile, "I can see that, Cooper. What do you say we take advantage of the situation that has suddenly 'come up'?"

"You will never need to ask twice about that, Niki."

She pressed her body even closer to his and cooed, "And that is one of the major reasons I love you."

After that, there was little talk between them. Well, I don't believe moaning and passionate exclamations count as conversation. Do you?

Thirty minutes later found both Niki and Sheldon laying back in bed, a satisfied smile on both of their faces. "What are grinning at?' Niki asked her husband, barely holding back her own laughter, "you'd think you'd never made love to me before."

"Actually, I was grinning because for an old married couple such as us, our coitus is still incendiary."

Niki smiled up at the ceiling and replied, "Yeah, it seems to only get better with time."

Sheldon began to pull her closer to him when his phone announced he had an incoming text. He picked up his phone, read the message on it, and his smile immediately turned upside down.

His wife noticed his change of demeanor and asked him, "What is it? Is something wrong?"

Sheldon looked over at Niki, sighed, and stated succinctly, "Houston, we have a problem."

 **What was the message and what kind of problem is facing our couple this time?**


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Problem Solved

 **Sheldon reveals the problem and Niki offers him a suggestion. Will he agree to it?**

Niki rolled over towards Sheldon and asked him in a voice filled with both curiosity and trepidation, "Okay, tell me. What's the problem?"

"Niki, you know how you were telling me earlier how excited you were to be going home and resuming our research?"

She responded with a shrug and some questions of her own, "Yeah, but at the time I was mostly joking. Still, it will be good to get back to our regular routines. Does our problem have to do with our research? Is Binary unhappy with us? What is it?"

Sheldon shook his head emphatically and stared back down at the message on his phone screen, "No, this has nothing to do with Binary. This has to do with the familiar routines at home being changed."

Niki was well aware of her husband's difficulties with handling changes in his life that were not of his own making. So, she framed her next question to him carefully, "Sheldon, please explain to me what is going on. Maybe I can help solve the problem."

He quickly nodded as he responded, "All right. Our problem is Raj."

"What about him?"

Sheldon's brow furrowed as he fluffed his pillow and sat back on the bed, "He received an offer last week from Mauna Kea to do some research for them for a few months. That text was from him asking me if it would be okay if he accepted their offer."

Niki stared at the wall across the room as her face filled with concern, "That's tough. We need him at Pentagram, but an offer from MK would be very hard to turn down."

"Yes, I know that. And I don't want to play the bad guy and tell him he can't go. I mean, he can, but I don't want to make him feel badly about his decision should he decide to go there."

Niki gently placed a hand on her husband's shoulder and made a wifely attempt to placate him, "Sheldon, Raj owns a percentage of the company. Remember? We can't tell him what he can do or not do. Besides that, he's our friend and I think in this instance, we should act like friends. Tell him we'll get by somehow and add that we hope he has a great time while he's there."

He nodded his head in reluctant agreement, "Yes, I agree," that is what we must do. I suppose we shall have to muddle through somehow."

"Did he say how Amanda was taking it?"

Sheldon grinned fondly at his wife as he answered her, "Very well, it seems. She took a sabbatical from UCLA and is traveling with him to Mauna Kea."

Niki sighed, and her eyes got a dreamy look to them, "Lucky girl! Maybe we can do that someday."

Sheldon pulled his wife close to him, kissed the top of her head, and brought her back to their reality, "Need I remind you Niki, that we will soon have two small children to take care of. I can't conceive of taking our offspring all the way to the top of a remote mountain in Hawaii for several months."

Niki buried her face in Sheldon's neck and softly murmured, "I know, I know. I was just thinking about maybe in the future."

The father-to-be gave a small chuckle and replied, "It would have to be far in the future, but perhaps we will get the chance once the children are older. But for now, we need to solve _this_ problem. Our facility is currently in dire need of a small particle astrophysicist."

Niki suddenly sat bolt upright and turned to her husband, an excited look on her face, "Sheldon, listen up. I have an idea."

Sheldon cocked and eyebrow and threw her a teasing look, "Now you've got me worried." Catching sight of the warning look on his wife's face, he quickly continued, "Just kidding. Please, tell me."

Niki then presented her plan to him and the longer she spoke, the wider his smile became. When she had finished, he exclaimed proudly, "I do believe I married a genius! That would work beautifully!"

Niki pretended a humility she was far from feeling as she responded with, "Well, I do my best. My IQ isn't 187, but I do have my moments of inspiration."

"And this was one of your best. Now you've got me excited about this dinner tonight. Niki, let's start getting ready now. I can't wait to meet your aunt and have a talk with both her and Helmut. I want to hear the whole story from their point-of-view."

Niki planted a kiss on her husband's cheek and happily mused, "While we're there, we can begin planning our trip back, too. I can't wait to see our home again!"

Sheldon turned to his wife and gave her an earnest look, "How do you think I feel, Freckles? I have been gone from home far too long for my liking."

"Sheldon, this entire trip has taught both of us something important."

"And that would be?"

Niki gave him a heartfelt answer, "We both don't function well when we are far from home and each other. Let's keep that fact in mind before we accept any future assignments or offers."

Sheldon grinned and once again pulled his wife close to him, "Agreed. You made some valid points. Any future endeavors we do as a team."

"Except this summer. I still have that guest professorship at Stanford and you and Leonard have that lecture series to attend to."

Niki's husband released his hold on her and replied with a grin on his face, "Didn't we decide when Leonard and I go to distant cities, our families will be going with us?"

Niki nodded happily and then added, "That we did. And I want you and Lori to come up and visit me often when I'm at Stanford."

Sheldon pulled Niki close to him once more and his hands began to caress her back, "As if I could stay away from you."

"Sheldon, we'll be late for dinner."

His hand then began a more intense exploration of his wife's body, "Not that late. And besides, Lori needs to sleep another thirty minutes at least or she will be cranky tonight. So, we are really doing this for the sake of our guests."

Niki gave up her protests and gave in to her mounting passion, "Well, when you put it that way…"

 **What is Niki's solution to the Raj problem? Do you think you have a clue?**


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Auf Wiedersehen, Heidelberg!

 **The Coopers meet their friends for dinner and Sheldon implements Niki's idea.**

At precisely 7:30 that evening, Sheldon, Niki, and Lori entered the Krokodil Restaurant, one that had come highly recommended to them from both Helmut and Annelise. They quickly found their table as Penny had spotted them and had immediately stood up and waved them over.

What happened to your usual punctuality, Sheldon?" Leonard teased, "You said you guys would be here at 7:15."

Sheldon offered a speedy reply as he helped his wife and child find their seats, "If we had been left to our own devices, we would have been. However, my Princess needed more beauty sleep, so for the sake of avoiding a cranky child at the dinner table, we let her sleep an extra thirty minutes."

Penny joined her husband in his good-natured ribbing of their friends, "If I know you two, Lori wasn't the only one who needed to stay in bed a bit longer."

Sheldon looked down his nose at his best friend's wife and reminded her, "Penny, that was an ill-advised statement to make aloud. There are children present."

Penny merely shrugged and shot back, "And just how do you think those kids got here, genius? Sheldon, sometimes for a smart man, you can be a little dense."

Leonard looked up from his menu and added, "A little?"

Niki made a honest attempt at restoring order, "Guys, guys, let's just all settle down. Penny, regarding your inquiry, well, that's none of your business."

Penny crowed to everyone at the table, "Ha ha! I told you they were getting busy, didn't I?"

The red faces of the couple verified, without words, the truth of her statement. Suddenly, Sheldon cleared his throat and announced, "Before we order, I have some important news to share with you, Leonard."

"And what would that be? That you've finally solved String Theory?"

Sheldon gave a long sigh and responded somewhat wistfully, "Oh, how I wish that it was so, but no. This has to do with our facility at home, or more precisely, one of the members of our staff."

Penny interrupted him with, "Let me guess. Bernadette's pregnant again and Howard's freaking out?"

Niki shook her head and winked at her friend, "Not a chance, Sweetie. Cold as ice."

Leonard looked excitedly at his friend's wife, "Okay, my turn. You're going back to teaching full time?"

Once again, Niki shook her head, "Nope. Cold again."

Suddenly, Leonard's offered, "Wait, is it something about Raj?"

Sheldon's smile was both warm and genuine as he answered his friend's guess, "Bingo, Leonard! Maybe I have underestimated that mind of yours all these years."

Leonard dismissed Sheldon with, "Yeah, right. Okay, I'll bite. What about Raj? What happened to him and how will it affect us at Pentagram?"

"Our esteemed colleague, Dr. Koothrappali, has been offered a six-month guest advisor position at the Mauna Kea observatory."

Leonard gave a loud whistle and exclaimed, "Suhweet! Did he accept it?"

"The man is not a fool, Leonard. Of course, he accepted their offer."

Penny looked up from her attempts to get Blake to sit quietly in his booster seat, "But wait, doesn't that leave you guys a man short?"

Sheldon nodded with a teasing smile on his face, "Exactly, Penny. That is one of the things Niki and I have come here to discuss with you good people." He then turned to Helmut and asked, "Dr. Hoffman, would you be interested in filling the position? Your adjunct professorship ends next week, does it not?"

Helmut answered curtly, "Yes, Sheldon, it does. But they have made me an offer to stay for another semester and I was seriously considering it."

Niki piped up, "Was?"

Helmut began to play with his fork, not looking directly at any of his table mates, "Yes. I am extremely intrigued by your offer, Sheldon. And Los Angeles would be a prime location for Anna to find work. She has admitted she fell in love with Pasadena while working there on The Glass Menagerie with Penny." He turned to his lovely fiancée and asked, "Isn't that right, Liebchen?"

"Yes, it is. I would love to come out to L.A. to work. But only if Helmut comes with me. We have made a vow to never be apart again as much as we have been."

Niki gave Annelise a big smile and exclaimed, "Wow! Sheldon and I just agreed on the very same thing! I'd love to have you both come home with us and meet the rest of our friends and family. Though I suppose Howard and Bernadette are the only ones you would meet, as Raj and Amanda will be gone."

Once again, Penny turned her attention from her son to one of the Coopers, "Amanda, too?"

Niki busied herself with trying to get a bib around her daughter's neck as she replied, "Yeah, she took a sabbatical and she's going with him."

Penny responded with a shrug, "Figures. We're all staying close to our significant others, now."

Sheldon looked from his wife to Penny and cleared his throat, "Ahem. Excuse me, ladies, but Helmut hasn't answered my question."

Helmut gave Sheldon a serious look and told him, "My reply depends on your answer to my next question."

"Which would be?"

"What would my position be and what would it entail?"

Sheldon answered with a simple, "You would be working on research as our small particle physicist."

Helmut asked him a pointed question, "And what are you researching at the moment?"

"The reactions of Black Holes to differing atmospheric events."

The younger man nodded thoughtfully, "Oh, I see. You are expounding on your gravity nullification findings."

Niki answered excitedly, "Yes. We are. Is that something you would be interested in doing?"

At her words, Helmut's face broke out in a wide grin, "Very much so. I have been following the work of you and your institute closely the last few years, Drs. Cooper and Horner, and I find it fascinating. However, I have another question to pose to you. Why me? I am merely a lowly adjunct professor. Do you think I have the proper qualifications to fill in for Dr. Koothrappali?"

Sheldon made a steeple with his hands and explained to Helmut, "I have seen you work, both at the school and in your research job in the Bahndstat. You are fully qualified for this position. You know how to research on an extremely high level. And I have been reading some of your published papers recently and I must confess, I am also fascinated by the work you have been doing. So, will you join us? You would have your own private office and full use of the entire facility."

"How could I say no to your kind offer? Everyone in the scientific community is now familiar with the work done at Pentagram, and they are most respectful of it. To answer your question, yes, Sheldon. I would love to come to L.A. and work with you, Leonard, and Niki."

"That settles it then." Niki lifted her glass of water high and crowed, "To our new colleague!"

All other glasses were immediately raised in the air, "To our new colleague!" they all repeated.

Niki vainly attempted to settle Lori in her seat as she inquired, "May I make a suggestion?"

Leonard smiled at her and answered, "Of course, Niki. What is it?"

"What do you say we all order dinner before these kids get hangry and we all suffer from the effects?"

Sheldon immediately turned to help his wife with their daughter, "That's a very good suggestion. Let's pick up our menus and prepare to order some food. I hear it is beyond delicious at this establishment."

Soon, their orders were taken, and their meals arrived soon after. A good time was had by all. They joked, laughed, and discussed their trip home and all the new adventures they would have in Altadena with their new friends.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Two days later, the two couples stood in the VIP lounge of the Frankfurt airport, hands firmly attached to two strollers where their respective offspring were lying fast asleep. Their new friends Helmut and Annelise were there also, having given the four L.A. residents a much-appreciated ride to the airport.

Leonard viewed the Binary jet out the window, which was gradually taxiing towards the connecting boarding ramp. His gaze then turned to the German couple, who were standing in the middle of the group, "Well guys, I guess this is goodbye for now."

Helmut wasted no time in giving the reminder, "Only for now. We will see all of you in two weeks' time when we come to L.A. to start our new jobs."

Annelise smiled warmly at the other women and added, "Yes. Penny, how can I thank you for getting me the job as your understudy?"

Penny snorted and waved off the question, "Hey, Sweetie. No thanks necessary. My current understudy is leaving before the play opens to take a role in a t.v. sitcom. My director remembers you from The Glass Menagerie. When I mentioned to him last night that you were available, he jumped at the chance to get you. Girl, you're a talented actress and I know you have a bright future ahead of you. You, too, Helmut. Your work impressed Sheldon Cooper and that's not easy to do."

Helmut joined his lady in showing the older actress his appreciation, "Thank you, Penny. I hope that someday we can repay your kindness."

"Don't worry about it. We would have missed the heck out of you guys. And don't worry about repaying anything. If it hadn't been for you, Annelise, we might still be tied up in SkyLabs, you never know."

Leonard happily added, "And Sheldon might still by laying comatose on the couch, Helmut. You really saved our behinds that night."

Sheldon looked over and gave a long sigh as the ramp door opened and a Customs' Agent beckoned them to move towards him. "I suppose this is goodbye, then. At least for a short time."

Helmut gave a wry smile and reached out to shake the taller man's hand, "Goodbye, Sheldon. Believe it or not, I will miss you. Let me correct myself, I will miss all of you. You people are now considered some of our dearest friends and we cannot wait to join you in Altadena."

The men began to clap each other on the shoulder and exhibit other forms of male bonding while Penny and Niki both took turns hugging Annelise tightly.

Leonard looked over at the Customs' Agent and gave him a nod. He turned to his wife and friends and told them, "Look guys, I think their telling us it's time to leave. Helmut, Annelise, we'll be seeing you in two weeks. Take care and be sure to give us your flight number so one of us will for sure be there to pick you guys up."

Penny and Niki both had tears in their eyes as they gave Annelise one last hug. Niki informed her, "I'll be looking for a permanent apartment for you guys, but until one is found, you two can stay in my old place. Alfred and Mary live there now, but they're going to be gone for about another month. We should be able to find something that fits your needs in a month."

Helmut merely nodded, smiled, and took one last look at his new friends. "You know, Sheldon, at first I really didn't like you, but you've grown on me."

Leonard rolled his eyes and then grinned as he replied to Helmut's words, "Actually, that's pretty typical."

Sheldon cried out in dismay, "Leonard!"

"C'mon, Buddy. You know it's true."

The taller man reluctantly conceded the point, "Perhaps. I am an acquired taste."

Penny looked over at him and grinned cheekily, "You can say that again. But once that taste is acquired, it never goes away."

Niki looped her arm through one of her husband's and retorted, "Hey, I liked Sheldon the moment I met him."

"Yes, but you're not the norm, Sweetie. Definitely not the norm."

Sheldon gave a small chuckle and told her, "It seems Niki and I are both anomalies. And that is what makes our marriage work. Find the right person, and things always fall into place, even during tough times."

Leonard gave his friend a huge smile and chimed in, "That is one of the more profound things you have ever uttered, Sheldon."

Sheldon's wife tapped him on the shoulder and interjected, "Guys, I hate to break this love fest up, but that man over there is starting to look annoyed."

"I'm rather used to that, Niki."

"But I'm not. Let's get going and get back home. I can hardly wait to get out of this cold weather. And Sheldon, it's your birthday next week, you know what that means."

Both Leonard and Penny crowed, "Disneyland!"

Helmut looked perplexed, "You go to an amusement park on your birthday?"

Penny explained with a chuckle, "That's where they became a couple instead of just friends. Disneyland is the sight of their first kiss and their first time…"

Sheldon put his palm up and stopped her mid-sentence, "That will be enough, Penny. You can stop now. I do believe our friends caught your drift."

Annelise gave the happy couple a fond look and said, "Have a good time, you two. Maybe you can recreate history."

Niki smirked wickedly and answered, "We always try. Every year, we always try."

Sheldon added, "That is one of the things that keeps our marriage from going stale."

Helmut mused out loud, "I can't imagine being married to Sheldon ever gets stale or boring."

"It doesn't, believe me. And that's just the way I like it…most of the time, anyway."

Leonard gave one last nod to the exasperated man standing by the boarding ramp and declared, "Okay, we'd better get on that plane or it may take off without us. Helmut, Anna, we'll see you in a couple of weeks." With that, both men took their ladies by the arm and steered them towards the boarding ramp. The Customs' Agent looked quickly through their luggage and gave them the green light. Fifteen minutes later, the plane holding both couples and their children was taking off from Frankfurt airport and heading for home.

 **What will happen to our two couples once they get home? Well, they've each got some plans to make regarding the future. Plus, another trip to Disneyland looms for Sheldon and Niki.**


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Home Sweet Home

 **Our two couples land back in L.A., where a couple of surprises await them.**

As the Binary jet neared Los Angeles, Sheldon Cooper did an unprecedented thing, he insisted on taking the window seat instead of the one on the aisle. Niki thought this action was strange behavior on his part, indeed. Most generally, on both takeoffs and landings, Sheldon insisted on sitting on the seat outside of her and holding her hand tightly until they had either reached cruising altitude or had completed landing safely. So, on this occasion, Sheldon's desire to sit by the window puzzled his wife. And puzzled she remained until the plane began its final descent and winged over the Los Angeles Basin. It was then that Niki noticed her husband's eyes glistening brightly and saw him press his face against the glass, completely forgetting that it was at these times that he usually gripped her hand the hardest.

Several thoughts filled Niki's mind at the same time: _He must have really missed being home. Look, I think that's actually a tear making its way down his cheek. Its almost as though he's drinking in deeply the entire city like a man dying of thirst would drain a bottle of water. I knew he missed being home, but I never knew just how much until now._ This time, instead of Sheldon gripping her hand, Niki reached for his and gave it a loving squeeze. Any lingering resentment over the way he had treated her when he had first been gone vanished completely. Niki now had a better understanding of just how miserable Sheldon had been in Germany.

Love for her husband was filling Niki's heart to overflowing when suddenly her eyes flew wide open as she felt the unmistakable first fluttering movements of her unborn child. She thought to herself, _Yes, this about the time I should be feeling him or her move. I'm pretty close to four months along. This is earlier than I felt it with Lori, but my doctor advised me that with a second pregnancy, I would most likely feel movement a little sooner._ Now, a tear of her own joined that of Sheldon's and she looked over at him adoringly as she felt their baby's movement. _I think this is one of those moments I will remember forever. The man I love, myself, and our unborn child are linked through our hands. Even better, my other hand is holding the one of our daughter. I do believe we have an unbreakable chain of love going here._

Penny Hofstadter stole a look over at her two best friends and a large grin filled her face at the tableau they presented. _Every time I see how Niki makes the Wackadoodle more human, it always causes my heart to melt. They both love each other and their child so much. I'm so glad I went with her to Germany. If I hadn't, who knows if they would be holding hands right now. Those two were meant to be together, I've known that from the moment I met Niki. She was the perfect combination of brains, humor, and looks to help Sheldon get over his grief about Amy, just like he helped her put away her grief about Paul. It's neat to see two people I love be so in love with each other._

After the plane landed the two couples and their children disembarked, they were sped through customs, retrieved all their luggage, and made their way out of the terminal. To their surprise, two smiling, familiar faces were there to greet them.

"Hey you guys!" Amanda Koothrappali called out while waving her arms wildly over her head, "We're over here!"

Niki looked over at the sound of Amanda's voice, spotted their friends, and gleefully told Sheldon, "Look,Schatze! It's the Koothrappalis! I wonder what they're doing here?"

Sheldon gave his wife a bewildered look, "I'm sure I don't know. It's not like we don't have a ride home. You did tell me that you left your car in the long-term parking garage. Am I correct in that assumption?"

"Yeah, you are. I guess we have to go over and ask them. Not that I'm not glad to see them, of course."

Lori's little face suddenly lit up and she called out, "Aunt 'Manda! Aunt 'Manda! We home!"

Amanda walked quickly over to her group of friends and scooped the little girl up in her arms and held her tightly, "Hey, young lady. I hear you have been having quite an adventure over in Germany with your folks and the Hofstadters. Speaking of which, where's my favorite little boy in the entire world?"

Leonard's face couldn't stop grinning as he replied, "Blakes still fast asleep in his stroller. I think Lori wore him out by playing games with him on the plane."

Raj finally joined his wife and was his usual effusive self in his greetings, "It is so great to see all you guys! You must come to our place tonight. I spent the whole day yesterday cooking you guys a feast fit for kings!"

Lori looked up adoringly at Raj and asked, "And Princesses, too, Uncle Raj?"

Now it was Raj's turn to hug Lori tight and tell her, "And Princesses, too. Why, we couldn't have a feast without my favorite Princess there!"

Penny finally broke into the conversation with, "And just what are we having at this 'feast'? Truly, Raj, all I want right now is a sixteen-hour nap."

He looked at her strangely and asked, "Why? You flew all the way home on a private jet. How taxing is that? I know there are beds on those things."

Penny was blunt in her answer, "Raj, I'm pregnant."

Raj's face lit up brightly as he gasped, "Oh my god! Congratulations!"

Amanda chimed in, "Girl, congratulations from me, too! How long have you known?"

"Just for a couple of weeks. But Sweetie, I'm not the only one."

All eyes turned to Niki, who confronted them with, "What, you've never seen a knocked-up woman before?"

Sheldon gently chided her with, "Niki, isn't that rather indelicate language to use in this situation?"

Feeling a bit chagrined, Sheldon's wife agreed with him and she was quick with her apology, "Sorry for my crude expression. I'm dead tired, too. But it's so good to see you guys and to be back home! But besides being glad to see you, I have to ask, why are you two here?"

Raj then began his logical explanation, "Thanks. Look, Amanda said that you and Penny took your car to the airport. That's fine. Your car will hold two women, two children, and all their accoutrements quite nicely. But," and here he paused for affect, "will it hold two women, two children and two men and all _their_ accoutrements comfortably? I don't think so. That is why my beautiful wife and I decided to meet you at the airport and offer the Hofstadters a ride home."

Before Leonard could refuse the offer, Penny broke into the conversation with, "Which we gladly accept." She then turned to Niki, "You know, we never did give any thought to how your car was going to hold all of us and our luggage."

Sheldon's wife gave an unperturbed shrug of her shoulders, "I guess we didn't, girlfriend. But that little problem has now been solved for us, thanks to Raj and Amanda. So, what do you say we all head home?"

Sheldon nodded and added, "Yes, we can order some Thai food to go along with your feast and catch up on everything that has happened here since we've been gone."

Raj shook his head and brought home some reality to his friend, "Dude, the ladies have only been gone about a week. There's not much to share with you guys that they haven't probably already told you. There have been no serious breakthroughs in the research. If there had been, I wouldn't have accepted the offer from Mauna Kea."

Penny gave him a confused look and inquired, "Then what can we do at home? Besides catch up on our beauty sleep, that is?"

Amanda had an idea and shared it with the group, "How about we still eat the feast and order some Thai food, but discuss that award Leonard and Sheldon won?"

Niki crowed, "Excellent idea, girl!"

Amanda chuckled happily and replied, "I thought _you'd_ say something like that, Sheldon. But I would truly love to hear where and when you guys get to pick up your prize. We want all the details."

Sheldon looked up and realized they were nearing the long-term parking structure which held his wife's car, "Very well. The first detail is that I see we must now go our separate ways. Niki parked here, and your car is in the regular terminal lot. So, we shall see you back at the house and I'm sure Leonard and I will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding the Sakurai Award."

"Okay, Dude. We'll all meet back at your house in two hours." Raj caught Sheldon's look of disagreement and added, "Sheldon, we have to wing by our house and pick up the food."

Niki held up one of hands and gave Raj a mild reproach, "Wait, just wait. Why don't we all go directly to our place, order some Thai, and enjoy your feast tomorrow, Raj? We'll all be far more rested, and the kids won't be as cranky then as they will be in a little while."

Amanda grinned at her friend giggled, "I see why you married that one, Sheldon. Smart, good looking, and practical. Good catch."

Niki waved the compliment off, "Come on, girl. That idea was just common sense."

Sheldon put his arm around his wife's shoulders and gave her a squeeze while replying, "Which I happen to agree with. Raj, let's all meet at our house in an hour. But be warned, Niki and I will most likely be suffering from a bit of jet lag, so we might make it an early evening."

Penny's response to that was swift, "Uh huh. Sheldon, we all know you can't wait to get in bed with your wife, and I ain't talking about getting some sleep."

Niki gasped, "Penny!"

"What? It's true and you know it. I saw the looks you two were giving each other on the plane. Jet lag, my behind!"

All three couples erupted in laughter at Penny's outburst, then hugged and made their way to their respective cars for the ride home.

 **I suppose everyone has a bit of catching up to do. What do you think our couples will be up to next?**


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Straight Talk

 **My work life has bee crazy, I have been working on call on top of my usual hours. That's being the head of your department in retail sometimes. I haven't forgotten my readers or this story, I'm just usually dead tired when I finally do get home. But forget that for a bit and let's see how the Cooper's adjust to being back home, shall we?**

Two hours later, all three couples sat back on the living room sofa in the Cooper home, their bellies full of Thai food and their minds content. It was Amanda Koothrappali who finally broke the silence with, "Okay, now that we've eaten, how about you guys telling us more about your award? For instance, how much money are you getting, when and where do you go to get this award, and is Binary giving you both a raise for winning it?"

Sheldon Cooper sat straight up and looked over at his friend's pretty wife, and then answered, "The Sakurai Prize is all about prestige, there is little monetary value attached to it. I'd say that Leonard and I will most likely split about twenty-five-thousand dollars between us. And Binary has informed us that there will be some sizeable monetary rewards from them for our efforts. Also, we will be getting the award in Washington D.C. sometime in early April. Of course, our travel expenses will be covered."

"For all of you?" Raj asked.

"Yes. For ourselves and our wives and children. While Washington D.C. is quite a bit closer to us than Sweden, it is nice of them to pay our way to receive the award."

Penny interrupted Sheldon with, "I know you've explained this to me before, Leonard, but just how important is this award? Is it as big a deal as that Nobel those guys," pointing to the Coopers and Raj, "won for that gravity theory thing?"

Leonard gave his wife a fond look before replying, "The Sakurai is a very prestigious award. It's given only to physicists, particularly those who have made important discoveries in particle physics, so it honors the best in the field. To the world, the Nobel is more prestigious, but to a physicist, they're pretty close to being even."

Niki interjected, "Let's just say I'm as proud of Sheldon getting this award as I was when we won the Nobel. Particle physics isn't Sheldon's main area of focus, but his collaboration with Leonard had its main theory based in particle physics. If you really want to get down to the nitty gritty, most physicists that study astral bodies use some form of particle physics in their research. Even us astronomers use it. Raj, for instance, is an astrophysicist who specializes in particle physics."

Penny nodded and then asked her friend, "What about you? Why weren't you in on this paper?"

"Mainly because Sheldon and Leonard have been working on this thing for years together, long before I ever came on the scene. I had no part in their research, so I really had nothing to contribute to their paper."

Sheldon put an arm around his wife and pulled her closer to him, "Not that you couldn't have, had we met you earlier."

Niki laid her head on his shoulder and answered him in a matter-of-face way, "I suppose. But I'm more of a pure astrophysicist. My focus is on larger space objects, not smaller ones. I'm heavy into planets, stars, black holes, and SETI than I am into how particles in space react to things. In our gravity nullification paper, my area of contribution was limited to light, which is made up of particles, and how it behaves around black holes. You may say I blended the two, but my main focus was the black holes."

Penny leaned forward, her eyes shining, and asked her friend, "What's SETI?"

"Oh. That's an acronym for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. In my spare time, I used to monitor transmitters that were attempting to send and receive message from other life forms in the universe. I'm afraid I don't do much of that anymore."

"Why?"

Niki gave a short laugh and then answered her friend's question, "No free time. With a husband, teaching, a business, and a child, well, something had to give, and it was my SETI involvement."

Penny's face fell as she replied, "That's sad."

Niki looked over at Sheldon and gave him a loving smile, "Not really. I've gained a lot more than I gave up."

Now it was Leonard's turn to question her, "Do you think you'll ever get back into SETI involvement?"

"Someday, sure. It's fascinating to me. I do keep up with the latest SETI developments in journals."

Amanda had true concern in her voice as she queried, "Speaking of no free time, how are you going to handle everything with another child on your hands?"

"Well, Sheldon is a very involved parent, so I will have lots of help. Plus, both sets of grandparents will most likely offer to babysit whenever we need a break. Also, with Penny and I living so close to each other, we can always help each other if the need should arise."

Penny smiled happily and responded with, "Thanks, girlfriend. I will most likely take you up on that one."

Niki giggled and assured her pretty blonde friend, "Hey, we do that now. Why should one more child be any different?"

Penny gave a heartfelt nod, "True. We've always had each other's back."

"That we have. I don't know what I would have done without you the last three weeks, honey."

Penny winked saucily and replied, "You'd have survived. You're pretty resourceful."

Niki nodded her head and agreed, "Yeah, I am. And my favorite resource when Sheldon isn't available is Penny Hofstadter."

Amanda suddenly blurted out, "Hey, I forgot to ask you guys something. Do you guys want a boy or a girl this time?"

Penny gave a hearty laugh, "For sure I want a girl. I love Blake to pieces, but two little boys running around? No way!"

Leonard agreed with his wife, "Yeah, this time I think I want a girl, too. I can see my next child being a Daddy's Girl."

Sheldon gave a noncommittal shrug and added, "I highly recommend it. As for me, it really doesn't matter this time. I have my little Princess, so I will be happy with whatever gender we get."

Niki patted her husband's leg and continued the thought, "I just want a healthy child. But, I suppose there is a place somewhere deep inside me that would love to have a boy. Blake is just adorable, and I can see how much fun it could be to have a boy."

Raj responded to their comments with, "Well, I hope both couples get exactly what they want."

Penny then asked a pointed question of Raj and Amanda, "When are you two going to have children?"

Raj smiled and answered her with, "Whenever we get tired of having a dog."

Amanda hugged her husband and explained his remark to Penny, "Which means never. Raj loves that dog! And if I have to be honest, so do I. I don't know who I fell in love with first, Raj or Cinnamon."

"It was love at first sight with both of us. Right?"

The dark-haired beauty turned to Raj, kissed his cheek, and answered, "Yeah, it was. Who could resist the soulful eyes of either one of them? Not this lady, that's for sure."

At that point, Sheldon gave a yawn and a stretch and told their guests, "Well, I hate to call and end to this wonderful evening, but I do believe jet lag is catching up with me."

Me, too." Niki looked over at both women and volunteered, "Hey, let's call Bernie tomorrow and all get together for brunch?"

Penny stood up and told her, "Sounds like a plan. What time?"

"Say, elevenish. I'll call both of you with the details after I've called Bernie. Penny, when do you go back to rehearsals?"

"The day after tomorrow. We open in three weeks, so are you guys going to come see me?"

Niki also stood up and declared, "Try and keep us away! Sheldon and I should be fully recovered from our Disneyland trip by then."

Penny asked her, "Are you guys taking Lori with you?"

"No. My mom and Richard are taking her down to San Diego for a couple of days. They haven't seen her in about three weeks and their dying to spend some time with her. So, Sheldon and I are going childless to The Happiest Place on Earth."

Sheldon nodded and added, "Yes. Niki and I will, once again, be attempting to recapture the magic of our first visit there together."

Penny teased them, "I suppose torrid coitus is on the menu?"

Niki gave her friend's arm a gentle punch, "As always, girl. But that's between me and Sheldon."

"Suuure it is! Just look at the way you two are staring at each other. Heck, the way you have always stared at each other. Girl, we all know when you guys have being bad on your minds."

Raj, who was beginning to become uncomfortable with the topic of discussion, took his wife's hand and helped her off the couch, "With that being said, Amanda and I will see ourselves out."

Leonard put his arm around his wife and steered her towards the door as well, "So will Penny and I."

Niki caught up with both couples and mildly scolded them, "Hey, wait up. We aren't in that much heat that we can't see our friends out the door."

Sheldon muttered to himself, but loudly enough for the others to hear, "Speak for yourself."

Niki looked over at him and cried out in embarrassment, "Sheldon!"

All the friends then had a good laugh and made their plans for the next day as they walked the Koothrappalis to their car.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Thirty minutes later, the tired couple found themselves once again sleeping together in their own bed, something that hadn't happened in almost a month. Sheldon lay on his back, his hands entwined behind his head, and addressed the ceiling in a dreamy voice, "It feels so good to be home once more, relaxing in my own bed."

Next to him, Niki smiled slyly into the darkness and added, "And next to your wife, also."

"AND with our daughter fast asleep down the hall. Yes, I do believe this is what can be called one of life's perfect moments."

Niki gave a happy sigh, "If it got anymore perfect, I don't believe I could cope."

Sheldon Cooper looked over at his wife and happily responded with, "Oh, but it will. In a few short months we will be blessed with another child of ours to love and cherish."

Niki rolled over onto her side and gently laid her head on her husband's chest, "You always have the perfect words to say in moments like this."

"No, Freckles, I don't. It took many, many, years of experience before I good even passably good at what is termed, 'pillow talk'."

His wife began to lazily trace hearts on his chest as she replied in a loving voice, "Well, you have definitely perfected the art, my dear Schatze."

Sheldon grinned to himself and reminded her, "I always strive to be the best at everything I do. I don't always succeed, but generally my results are quite positive."

Niki lips found Sheldon's ear and she whispered seductively, "Would that include certain intimate interactions with you wife?"

"Those are among my best moments, at least that is what I have been told from a most reliable source."

"Who would be?"

Sheldon gave one of his strange little laughs and turned his head to face the woman lying next to him, "You, silly."

Niki responded with a giggle and a leading suggestion, "I do believe, as a team, we need to do some proofs on the viability of that theory."

This time it was Sheldon who rolled over onto his side. He then took his wife into his arms and began caressing her body as he asked her, "Like this?"

"Well, that is a good beginning. But I do believe in this circumstance, we will need some in-depth proofs. We must delve deeply into our research to either prove or disprove your theory."

At that, Sheldon's lips found his wife neck and his hands began an intense exploration of her body, causing Niki to cry out, "Oh, Cooper! That is just the form of proof we should continue."

He then pulled his wife closer to himself and reassured her with, "And so we shall, so we shall."

Thirty minutes later, Niki Cooper lay back on her pillow, a smile of catlike satisfaction filling her face. "Cooper," I do believe we have proven your theory beyond any reasonable doubt. The empirical evidence speaks for itself."

Sheldon Cooper merely smiled into the darkness. His happiness at being home and making love to his wife in their marital bed making his heart too full for words.

 **Our couple is now safely home and things seem to be getting back to normal. And that includes a weekend trip to Disneyland for Sheldon's birthday. A returning to the scene where it all began, if you will. Stay tuned. I will try to have this next chapter up in a more timely manner than I have been lately.**


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50: A Return to the Beginning

 **Sorry this chapter took so long. I picked up another job on the side and I'm being trained to move into a management position in my first job. Still, I have tried to write something every night if I'm not too tired. I hope you enjoy this one.**

 **Once again, we find Sheldon and Niki making their annual pilgrimage to Disneyland. These visits have held some special moments for both of them over the years. Will this year be the same?**

After our couple had checked, once again, into rooms 308 and 309 at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, they put their bags down and surveyed the room. Sheldon nodded in satisfaction and informed his wife, "Well, it looks very much the same as it did last year, Niki."

Mrs. Cooper put down her suitcase and asked him in a more-than-slightly sarcastic tone, "What? You thought it would drastically change or something?"

"You misunderstood me. I am merely quite satisfied that nothing has changed since the first time we were in this room."

Niki turned and looked at her husband in amazement, "Nothing's changed? What do you mean by that? _We've_ changed. The first time we entered this room we had never so much as kissed each other. Now, we've known each other carnally thousands of times, we've bought a home and a business, we each won a Nobel Prize, you've won the Sakurai Prize with Leonard, we're married with a child, and we're soon to be blessed with another one. I'd say things have changed."

Sheldon shook his head and continued with his thoughts, "I meant the décor of the room, Niki, not our lives."

Niki's mood immediately changed, and she began to case the room excitedly, "Oh. I suppose that's still the same. Look straight ahead, there's the balcony I was on while looking out over the park. Remember? It was while I was out there that your knock came on the door and you brought us dinner."

"And if you turn to the right, there is the doorway into the bathroom, where we took our first shower together."

Niki continued his train of thought and pointed to her left, "Oh look, Sheldon! There's the same bed where we…uh…did what comes naturally for the very first time."

"An event that I will never forget, no matter what my life span may turn out to be. Woman, you took my heart, mind, and soul as yours from that moment on. I do believe 'I love you' does not do my feelings for you justice."

Niki mused in an absentminded manner, "Do you suppose we will ever bring our children here?"

Sheldon failed to catch the true meaning of her words and replied, "What do you mean? We have brought Lori to Disneyland any number of times."

"No, I meant up to this room. Will we ever bring them here?"

Her husband's answer was quick and adamant, "No. And I don't intend to…ever. This room is ours and ours alone. It is almost a sacred place. This is where it all started, Niki. I don't think I could share that with any of our children."

Niki gave a thoughtful nod and replied, "I see your point, but maybe someday, when we're both old and gray, we will. Anyway, let's get unpacked and then decide what we want to do first."

Sheldon voice went hoarse and ragged as he stated, " I know full well what I want to do first."

She countered him playfully with, "And what would that be?"

Sheldon crossed the room, took his wife in his arms, and stared straight into her eyes as he told her, "I want to make love to you all morning long. Then, I want us to call your mother and Richard and speak with Lori."

"And then?" Niki asked in a teasing voice.

"Then I want to go over to the park, ride all the rides we did that first time, and then return here to have a wonderful candlelight dinner on the balcony."

"Oh, Cooper! I never want to spend the night at Disneyland with anyone but you."

Sheldon couldn't help but tease her with, "What about anywhere else?"

"There, either. I just want to spend my nights with you for the rest of my life."

"But statistically speaking, I may very well die before you do. What then?"

Niki was certain in her response, "I repeat: I only want to spend my nights with you for the rest of my life."

Sheldon checked his watch, looked at the woman in front of him, and asked her, "What about your late mornings?"

Niki pulled his mouth to hers and after a sensual, protracted kiss, she replied, "Same thing."

"Then what do you say we head off to that shower and re-enact an important bit of our personal history?"

Niki headed off in the general direction of the bathroom, as on their first night together, dropping one item of clothing with every step she took. She called back over her shoulder, "Oh, Cooper! I thought you'd never ask!"

One hour later, Niki and Sheldon reluctantly left their bed, donned their clothes once more, and after checking up on their daughter, headed down the stairs to the lobby of the hotel. As always, they both stared in wonder at the amazing artisanship of the décor found there. From the strong wooden beams of the Craftsman styling to the brilliant stained-glass windows, the two scientists took time to stop for a minute and appreciate the beauty of their surroundings.

Soon, however, the pull of the theme park led them out of the hotel and across the expanse that separated California Adventure from Disneyland. As they walked, Sheldon and Niki, as always, discussed their itinerary for the day.

Niki began the conversation with, "I suppose we will ride the train first?"

Sheldon answered her tartly, "You needed to ask that question? Niki, we always ride the train immediately after entering the park."

Unperturbed by his sharpness, Niki looped her arm through his and asked, "And then lunch at the Carnation Café?"

"As always. I assume you will have your traditional turkey sandwich with lemonade?"

"Of course! Just as you will most likely order a cheeseburger with the cheese and condiments on the side.

Sheldon's good humor was fully restored, and he beamed down at his wife and gave a small chuckle, "Ah, how well you know me, little lady!"

Niki took in his smile, gazed up at her tall husband and crowed, "And then on to the carousel!"

"Niki, you know I feel foolish riding that thing."

Her rebuttal was swift, "But you ride it every year with me."

"Only to keep you happy."

Niki then teased, "And when I am happy, how do I repay you?"

Sheldon grinned excitedly at his wife, "You ride Space Mountain with me!"

Niki let out a long sigh, "Yes, Sheldon. When you ride the carousel for me, I will ride Space Mountain for you. I may not like it, but…"

Her husband interrupted her train of thought with an abrupt blurting out of, "No, Niki! You will not do that!"

"Do what? Go on Space Mountain? I've been on it before and like I was about to say, a deal is a…"

Once again, Sheldon put a quick halt to her words, "No, Niki. You are with child. Riding a roller coaster is too risky for both you and our unborn offspring. No, I will not let you ride Space Mountain with me!"

Niki looked over at her husband in surprise, he seldom refused her anything or gave orders to her, but he had definitely done both with his outburst. She thought for a moment and then responded happily with, "All right, no Space Mountain. But that means you are off the hook for the Carousel."

Sheldon once again shook his head emphatically and answered her with a heartfelt, "No, I insist on riding the carousel with you. Who will help you off your steed if I am not there?"

Niki frowned and crossed her arms in front of her as she sternly replied to his question, "Schatze, I am quite capable of getting off a carousel horse under my own power. It's sweet of you to help me, but I could do it on my own."

Sheldon's face took on a look of sadness and he answered her in a low voice, "I know that, Niki, but it is my job as your husband to look out for your welfare while you are carrying our child."

His wife leaned into him as she felt his arm go reassuringly around her shoulders, "I do believe I have the sweetest husband on the face of the earth. Look, if it makes you happy we can both ride the carousel and I will do some shopping while you are on Space Mountain. Just text me when you are finished riding it, okay?"

Sheldon planted a sweet kiss on the top of her head and pulled Niki even closer to him, "That I can live with, Freckles. Now, let us head for the train. I love correcting all the facts they get wrong in the Grand Canyon scenarios."

Niki's eyebrows raised, and she gave a bit of a sigh, "Yes, I know. It is one of the highlights of the day for you."

"And riding Space Mountain."

Niki nodded in agreement, "Okay."

"And watching the fireworks with you."

This time, Niki smiled sweetly as she replied once more, "Okay."

"And spending the night with my beautiful wife in an enchanted place."

At his words, Niki melted into Sheldon's arms and replied in a voice that held much love and promise, "Keep talking like that, Cooper, and you could get lucky tonight."

At her words, Sheldon stopped walking and turned to face his wife. He gently placed a hand on each of her shoulders and tenderly answered, "Niki, I already have. I have you, and Lori, and our unborn child. How much luckier could a man get?

A single tear fell from each of her eyes as she told him, "Did I tell you I love you to the farthest reaches of the universe and back?"

Sheldon smiled, wiped the tears from Niki's face, and pulled her back closer to him and answered, "Quite often. And I love you just as much, if not more."

"Nope. Not possible, Cooper."

Sheldon's face took on an obstinate look and he chided her, "Are you going to argue with me, Mrs. Cooper? I know how very much I love you and coming here always reminds me just how much my love for you has grown."

"I know," Niki whispered softly as she looked down Main Street, "oh, how very well I know."

With the exception of Space Mountain, Sheldon and Niki followed the same itinerary they stuck to every year, and as usual, the happy couple rediscovered just why and how they had fallen in love on that magical day three years in the past.

All too soon their day at the park was drawing to a close and they were once again seated on a wall in front of It's a Small World, waiting for the fireworks to begin. Sheldon began their conversation with, "This is the exact spot where we kissed for the first time."

Niki nodded and scooted closer to her husband, "That it is. I wonder if it will still feel as magical if we kiss again tonight."

"I would venture to say that there is only one way to gather any empirical evidence that would help us answer that question."

"And just what would that be?" Niki ventured coyly.

"This." With that, Sheldon took Niki's face in his, and as he had done three years previous, gently touched her lips with his own.

His love's response to that move proved to them both that the magic of their first kiss was still alive and well and easily called forth. When the both of them finally broke for a much-needed intake of breath, Niki managed to gasp, "Yep, the magic is still there."

Sheldon gave a small chuckle pulled his wife in for another kiss. When it finally ended, he gave her a large grin and teased her, "And after almost two years of marriage and almost two children. You know, this thing may actually work."

Niki drew back a bit and asked him, "What thing?"

"Our marriage."

Sheldon's wife poked him in the ribs playfully and threw him a knowing smirk as she answered, "You think, Cooper?"

Sheldon once again brought his face close to Niki's and before he kissed her once more, he answered her with a heartfelt, "I most definitely do think, Ms. Horner."

An hour later, the happy couple were making their way out of the park and back to their hotel. Sheldon once more linked his arm through Niki's and asked her, "Should we shower and have a change of clothing before we head out for dinner?"

Niki thought a moment before she gave him her answer. "We'll see, Sheldon. Right now, I think we should go up to our rooms first. Even if we don't shower, we do need to change our clothes. The hotel restaurant is rather fancy, and we are both dressed in pants and a t-shirt."

"Perhaps you're right, but I abhor putting on clean clothes without having taken a shower first."

His wife briefly closed her eyes, gave a soft sigh, and replied, "And I see your point in that. Let's just make it up to our room and then decide. I'm a little tired right now."

Sheldon's face immediately filled with concern and he draped one of his arms around her shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze, "Yes, I can see it in your eyes. You seem to be more exhausted with this pregnancy than you did when you were carrying Lori. Maybe ordering in and relaxing is the better option."

Niki planted a kiss on his cheek as she spoke, "We'll see, Cooper. Let's just get back to the hotel and talk about it there."

On their way out of the park, Niki put a hand on Sheldon's arm and exclaimed, "Look, there's a lovely little boutique I've been wanting to shop in for ages. Can you wait here for just a minute while I go inside and pick up some souvenirs for Penny, Amanda, and Bernie?"

Sheldon was quick with his reply, "Of course. I see the magic store across the street. For some reason, I feel compelled to pick up something for Wolowitz. Perhaps I can find something that would interest Leonard as well. Let's meet back at this spot in say, ten minutes?"

Niki nodded and grinned at her husband, "Deal. I'll see you then." With that, they both took off in opposite directions in a hurried manner with something besides shopping on their minds.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Forty-five minutes later, when Sheldon inserted the key card into the slot in their room's door, they both quickly entered and instantly froze in their tracks. On the dining room table, they saw a candlelit dinner consisting of a large casserole dish, a loaf of pre-cut sourdough bread, and two large bottles of Yoohoo. They both then turned and looked towards the balcony and saw another table set up with an assortment of 'safe' salmon and shrimp sushi that Niki's doctor had okayed for her to eat. They both turned to each other and stared, the puzzle pieces slowly coming together in their minds.

"You arranged this while you were in the magic store, didn't you?"

"I must confess, I did. I thought a romantic dinner on the balcony would suit the mood. And you?"

Niki let out a protracted sigh as she confessed, "Yeah, I arranged to have your favorite meal waiting for us in our dining area. And yes, I arranged it while I was in that cute boutique."

Sheldon walked over to the table, lifted the lid on the casserole dish, and saw it was filled with spaghetti and sliced hot dog pieces. At the same time, Niki walked out to the balcony and admired the sushi set out under protective glass. The two of them looked over at the other and burst into laughter. Niki finally wiped her eyes and told her husband, "Why don't you bring all of that out here and we'll each enjoy our favorite meal together."

Sheldon picked up the casserole dish and headed for the balcony, telling his wife along the way, "That sounds like an excellent plan, Freckles. The events of this evening have clearly reminded me why I fell in love with you in the first place. You always have something fun and exciting up your sleeve."

Niki passed him as she headed back inside to get the bread and the Yoo Hoo, "I do believe I wasn't alone in planning a pleasant surprise for my spouse. You are just as capable of planning a surprise as I am. And I love it!"

After they had eaten, the happy couple headed for the shower and had a most enjoyable time getting themselves clean and refreshed, which led to other activities in the bed that led Niki to exclaim, "Cooper, this is one of the reasons I fell in love with you. That and the way you always challenge my brain. How did I get so lucky as to have you marry me?"

Sheldon pulled his wife close, kissed the top of her head, and whispered to her, "Ah, but I do believe I am the lucky one. I have an intelligent, beautiful, wife who always brings out the best in me. Well, most of the time she brings out the best in me. I love you Nikita Cooper."

Niki murmured a soft and sleepy, "And I love you, Sheldon Cooper. Forever and ever."

""Amen. As my mother would say."

With that, they began to laugh uncontrollabley and that eventually led them to showing each other exactly how much their relationship meant to them. The night ended with Niki laying in Sheldon's arms, contented as a cat with a pitcher of cream. "Cooper." She cooed softly.

Sheldon snuggled closer to his wife and murmured, "What is it?"

Niki kissed him softly on the lips and answered his question, "Happy birthday, love. I hope we spend many, many, more together."

"We shall. And they all will be spent in this room, where it all began."

With that, they both soon fell into a deep sleep, happy thoughts filling both their heads.

 **Well, our favorite couple have happily spent another of Sheldon's birthdays at Disneyland. But what about their friends? What has been going on with the other couples while the Coopers have been gone? You're about to find out.**


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51: While You Were Away…

Sorry it's been so long people. There was a big upheaval at my main place of employment, our manager was let go, and I was involved in the entire process. Hopefully, things have quieted down now, and I should be more regular with my updates.

 **Penny's got something up her sleeve. So do Amanda and Raj. And Sheldon and Niki. God help everyone.**

It was a typical Saturday afternoon and two good friends who had recently been apart were sitting at a kitchen table, visiting and catching up on things, just like any other two women would do. There was a difference on this day though, one of them seemed somewhat agitated, as though she had something extremely heavy weighing on her mind. Penny Hofstadter sat across the dining room table from one of her oldest friends, Bernie Wolowitz, drumming her fingers. After more than a little while, she finally spoke up and announced in a voice that left no room for argument, "I don't care what you say, Bernie, we should do something special for Helmut and Annelise. They're both really cool people and they're moving halfway across the world to come here. I think we owe it to them to show them how much we appreciate them doing that."

The tiny blonde answered her in a resolute voice that belied her size, "I get where you're coming from, Penny, but dream on! I don't even know these people. Why should I help you plan a party for them? I'm exhausted. While Leonard and Sheldon were gone, and then you and Niki, my poor Howie was working some major hours, which left me with most of the childcare and housework. Look, the Coopers are having themselves a fun weekend at Disneyland. What are me and Howie doing? Well, I took an hour off from cleaning my house to meet you and Howie is watching Kelly and trying to get some work done at the same time. So where am I supposed to find the time to help you with this 'something special' you're planning? Girl, you're crazy if you think I'm lifting a finger to help you."

Penny refused to back down, "Look, you're going to help me because Helmut is an experienced researcher with mad science skills. I've already talked to Leonard and Sheldon and when Helmut and his lady get here and settled in, Pentagram is giving you and Howard a full week off to spend any way you want. Niki and Sheldon have even offered to have Kelly stay with them for the week. THAT is why you're going to help me give these people a warm welcome. It's in the best interests of both you and Howard."

Bernie thought on her friend's words for a minute then leaned forward excitedly as she asked, "Okay. What can I do to help?"

Penny grinned like the cat who had swallowed the canary and replied, "I thought you'd see it my way. Okay, here's the plan, we can have it here at your place. You guys have the biggest house, and a jacuzz!"

The smaller woman tartly reminded her friend, "Which neither you nor Niki can use. Have you forgotten you're both pregnant?"

"I haven't forgotten, Bernie. I was thinking about you.'

Bernie once again replied in a voice filled with distrust, as she waved her hands around the expanse of her home, "How's that? Is that jacuzzi going to help me cook and clean this place?"

Penny gently patted her friend's arm and responded softly and reassuringly, "No, Niki and I are. We can order some food in and we can even invite our husbands to come with us and clean the place for you. Deal?"

Bernie's grin was wide and genuine as she thought of how immaculate her house would look after Sheldon Cooper was done with it. She then happily answered her friend, "Okay, what day and time are we holding this thing?"

Penny pulled a small pad of lined paper from her purse, handed Bernie a pencil, and replied, "Let's figure that out right here and now. Let's see…how about two days before the Koothrappalis leave for Hawaii."

The tiny blonde woman squealed her approval, "Perfect! I just bought a dress I was going to wear to an office get together to make a certain 'witch with a capital B' feel inadequate. Sadly, or happily, this person up and quit without giving notice. So, I have a dress I'm dying to wear!"

Though she really wasn't sure she wanted to know, Penny felt compelled to ask, "Why did she quit?"

Bernie gave her friend a withering look that Penny respond with, "Oh. Remind me to never get on your bad side, okay?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. You never have, or almost never. Besides, our husbands all work together, so I have to play nice with you."

Penny stared at her friend open-mouthed before she managed to croak, "What…?"

Bernie merely smiled sweetly and continued with, "Now, forget that. We've got a party to plan."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Meanwhile, at another house in Altadena, a similar conversation was taking place.

Raj Koothrappali shifted uneasily in his seat at the dining room table and addressed his wife, Amanda. "You know, the only reason Sheldon is being so agreeable to letting me take this sabbatical is because of Dr. Hoffman being willing to step in and cover for me."

The lovely brunette nodded and agreed with her husband, "Yeah, that makes complete sense, so what about it?"

Raj got a serious, yet sincere, look on his face as he answered her question, "From what Niki has told me, this guy and his fiancé are putting their current lives on hold to travel all the way from Germany to here, just to work for Sheldon Cooper. I think we owe them a debt of gratitude."

Amanda nodded and took a sip of her coffee, "I see what you mean. But I'm thinking gratitude isn't enough." She thought deeply for a few moments and then her face lit up, "I know, let's throw them a killer welcoming party before we leave! We could either throw it here, in the back yard, or over at the Cooper's place."

Her husband's face began to beam as he enthusiastically took his wife's idea and ran with it, "Since we're the ones who are throwing the party, let's have it here. Our place is as good as Sheldon and Niki's. We have a pool, too. And our barbecue area is covered by an awesome patio, which isn't the case at the Cooper's. Our house is bigger than theirs, too. Yes! Let's do it here!"

Amanda began to come back down to earth and voiced some practical concerns regarding the endeavor, "But Raj, we don't know what they like to eat, or what kind of music these people like. How on earth are we going to plan a party for them?"

Raj leaned forward eagerly as he addressed her concerns, "That's easy. I'll just innocently ask Leonard some casual questions about both of them and we can go from there. I do have the right to ask some questions about the man who will be continuing my research."

Amanda gave him a happy grin as she put down her cup and replied, "That's a good idea, honey. I'll ask Niki some things about them, myself. She knows how curious I can be. She won't suspect a thing."

"Great! We only have a week until we leave, so let's get going with this! I can't wait to see the look on everyone's faces when they show up at our place for what they think is a simple Halo night and find out what we've really got going."

Amanda got up from the table and headed for the kitchen to retrieve the decadent dessert Raj and conjured up for them earlier that day, "Yeah, that will be a big surprise for everyone. I can't wait!" She stopped on her way back to the table to address the small dog that was looking up at her adoringly, "Yes, Cinnamon, a party! A couple more people for you to put under your spell."

Raj laughed at his wife's words and agreed with her, "Yes, everyone loves Cinnamon. Even Bernie, though she won't admit it in this lifetime. I think she'll be thrilled to have the party thrown here, instead of at her and Howard's place. They get stuck with a lot of our get togethers."

Amanda gave a wicked grin as she warned him, "Remember, no one can know about this thing but us and our caterers. I want this party to be a complete surprise for everyone!"

"Don't worry, I won't breathe a word to anyone. I want them all to be unsuspecting when they walk in!"

With that, the mischievous couple at the table began to earnestly plan their amazing surprise party.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Back in Anaheim, Sheldon and Niki are making some plans of their own. Let's listen in.

Sheldon leaned in towards his wife as they sat in The Blue Bayou restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride enclosure. "Niki, this restaurant is the perfect way to spend our last evening here. The ambiance, with the ride floating by us, is unmatchable with anything I have ever experienced."

Niki Cooper shot a dreamy look back at her husband as she replied, "I thought you'd like it. That's why I made the reservations here." She then looked around the dining area and added, "It's very romantically lit, too."

Sheldon gave his wife a fond look as he replied, "You know I'm not much of a Romeo, Freckles, but I do have to agree with your summation. The atmosphere in this restaurant seems to be geared to be extremely conductive to romance."

Niki's grin was both mischievous and naughty as she suggested, "What say we leave soon and indulge in a little romance back at our hotel?"

Sheldon nodded, looked down at his phone, and then continued, "I am excited to implement that plan, but there is something important I wish to discuss with you first."

"Which would be?"

Sheldon's eyes went soft at his thoughts, and then he answered Niki with, "It's about Helmut and Annelise."

Niki cocked and eyebrow and asked her husband, "What about them? We've already planned to pick them up from the airport and take them to my old apartment. What else do you have in mind? We can show them the way around the building before Helmut begins working, so that won't be a problem."

Sheldon exhaled softly and touched his wife lightly on her arm, "Niki, it has crossed my mind that we owe that couple a great debt of gratitude. I would never have told Koothrappali he couldn't go to Mauna Kea with Amanda, that wouldn't have been kind. But without Helmut filling in for him, it would have been difficult to continue our research on the necessary level. At the very least, it would have slowed it down considerably. At the worst, we might have missed some vital piece of information that could have derailed our findings completely."

Niki nodded solemnly, then looked at Sheldon with a quizzical expression, "Hmmm…I have to agree with you. But what are we going to do? We've already thanked them profusely for taking us up on our offer and found them a place to live. What else is there left for us to do?"

Sheldon's entire demeanor changed to conspiratorial as pulled his wife closer and softly replied, "I was thinking, before Raj and Amanda leave, we should throw a little dinner party and let Koothrappali meet the man who will be covering for him. Raj may very well be able to explain enough about what he's been doing so that Helmut can pick up on that area of research seamlessly."

Sheldon's dinner partner thought deeply for a moment then concurred with him, "You do have a point, Cooper. Okay, I'm in. Where and when will we do this thing?"

At her words, Sheldon grinned happily and told her, "I was thinking at our home, a couple of days before the Koothrappalis leave for Hawaii."

Niki looked her husband worriedly, "Okay, but that's only a little less than a week away. I'm getting past the morning sickness stage now, but I'm still a bit tired and I worry about having to cook, clean the house, and arrange an entire evening. I don't know if I can do all of that."

Sheldon pointed proudly to himself and informed her, "This is where I can help. Niki, I will help you clean the house. In fact, I enjoy doing that so leave any preparing our home for guests to me. You can handle the guest list. Maybe we could invite the Hofstadters, Wolowitzes, and your mother and Richard in addition to Helmut and Annelise."

His wife's entire countenance brightened, and she excitedly agreed with her husband, "That's a great idea! I'd love for them to meet all the kids, too. So, for the first part of the evening, we could have Lori, Blake, and Kelly join us."

Sheldon's grinned broadly at the mention of Kelly Wolowitz, "Yes! It has been far too long since either of us has seen Kelly."

Niki leaned into her spouse and kissed his cheek, "I know you have a soft spot for her, Schatze, so we'll be very sure to invite Kelly along with her parents."

The look Sheldon shot her was challenging, "I have a soft spot? You know you are every bit as fond of her as I am."

Niki sheepishly smiled and nodded, "True, true. That girl has taken her place in my affections. She's a smart, funny, engaging little girl."

Sheldon looked up from his dessert and shared a suggestion with her, "You know, we should take Kelly and Lori to the zoo with us in the near future. I would enjoy that."

"So would they. But what about Blake?"

Sheldon's answer was carefully worded and thought out, "I don't think he enjoys the zoo as much as the girls, so why don't we give the Hofstadters a break from parenting one evening and take Blake with us to the Griffith Observatory? "

Niki's response lit up her face, "I like that idea! Lori adores it there and I think Blake is going to follow in his father's footsteps and become an experimental physicist. The Observatory is one of his favorite places!"

"Or a theoretical physicist like his Uncle Sheldon."

At that, Niki threw her head back and laughed loudly, causing other diners in the room to stare over at her, "Could be, could be. But he may end up doing something completely unrelated to science."

"Woman! Hush your mouth! What you just uttered is tantamount to heresy. Would you have my best friend's son become something completely inane, like a poet or an actor? Or, perish the thought, a geologist?"

"Better not let Penny or Bert hear you say that."

Sheldon face wore a look of admitted chagrin as he admitted to Niki, "Oh, I completely forgot about Penny. She is far from inane. And Bert has been a good friend to me in the past. Perhaps it is best that we let Leonard worry about what path his son will choose in life."

Niki nodded in complete agreement, "Agreed. Now, let's get back to planning our little dinner party for Helmut and his lady."

With that, Sheldon and Niki put their heads together and drew up their plans for a welcoming dinner party for their friends from Germany. Suddenly, Niki's head drew back, and she let out an astonished gasp, "Sheldon! We won't have a dinner party at our place for Helmut and Annelise. We can't!"

Niki's husband stared back at her incredulously, "Why ever not? Woman, have you gone mad? We were just sitting together finalizing our dinner menu and guest list. What is this all about?"

Niki's hands waved around the restaurant, "It's about this! Sheldon, all our friends are busy right now, Penny with her play that opens in a couple of weeks, Leonard playing catch up with his research and supporting his wife, the Koothrappalis getting ready to go to Hawaii, and Howard and Bernie getting ready for their vacation. It would throw a huge kink into all of those plans if people had to pause their busy lives to attend a dinner party at our house."

Sheldon nodded slowly, carefully taking in all of her words, "I can see your point, but what can we do? We both want to do something special for Helmut and Anna." He caught a familiar look in his wife's eye and knew she was up to something. "Okay, Niki. Spill it. Just what did you ever-so-fertile mind conjure up as a proper welcome to our friends?"

Niki once again gestured around the room, "This, Sheldon!"

"What do you mean by 'this', Niki? Do you mean this restaurant, this room, or the entire ride? And what do any of those have to do with welcoming Helmut and Annelise to Los Angeles? Even I, with my keen intellect, am having trouble connecting the dots in your statement."

Sheldon's wife took a deep breath, exhaled, then began her explanation, "Okay, let me explain it to you, Schatze. What better way to welcome someone to Los Angeles than to give them a weekend at Disneyland! Look, we can extend our stay here, we do have two rooms booked until tomorrow. Or, we can call the desk and make reservations for the same two rooms for next weekend. We can bring our German friends here and take Anna and Helmut on our favorite rides, eat with them at our favorite restaurants, and just have a ball before we all have to put our noses back to the grindstone and continue on with our research. What do you think?"

Sheldon's eyes grew bright with delight and he answered his wife with a heartfelt, "I do believe I am married to a genius! Our other friends are most likely going to be far too busy to come to our house for a party. So… let's do it! Let's treat Anna and Helmut to a long weekend at the Happiest Place on Earth!"

Happy with her husband's agreeable response, Niki reached across the table and took Sheldon's hands in her own, "This is going to be so much fun! Nothing can go wrong with this plan, nothing!"

 **Nothing, except all your other friends have made plans for the visiting couple of their own. This could prove to be very interesting, or a complete disaster. No matter, it will be interesting either way.**


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52: A Change in Plans

 **Three couples plan a party for the same people. Oh, dear.**

Sheldon and Niki Cooper were seated inside the VIP lounge of Lufthansa Airlines, waiting for the private Binary jet that would be bringing Helmut and Annelise to Los Angeles. They sat together in that comfortable silence that only content, long term, couples can experience. Each was lost deep in their own thoughts, pondering the events of the last few days.

Sheldon was the first to speak, "They should be landing within the next ten minutes, which means after they have gotten through the singular hell that is Customs, we should be greeting Helmut and Annelise in somewhere close to thirty minutes."

Niki nodded and absently agreed with her husband, "That sounds about right." She then went back to peering out the window and immersing herself in the thoughts that had occupied her mind since breakfast that morning. She could still clearly recall the inquisitive conversations she had shared with both Amanda and Bernie in the last few days. It was almost as if Bernie Wolowitz was sitting right next to her and asking in her high-pitched voice, _'Say, Niki, what kind of food does this German girl like, anyway?'_ Niki remembered staring at her friend open-mouthed and saying very little in reply until her wits returned and she had replied, _'I'm not sure. We always ate with them in German restaurants that served German food. Anna and Helmut tended to eat some form of schnitzel or sauerbraten. But, at the banquet they enjoyed prime rib with the rest of us. In short, I can't really answer your question, Bernie.'_

Next, she recalled Amanda inviting her shopping and quizzing her about the German couple's taste in music as the checked out some cds at Target. ' _Hey, Nik, do you think either Helmut or Annelise would like this techno pop dance music, or are they more into traditional stuff, like opera or polkas?_ ' Niki remembered giving Raj's wife a strange look and replying, _'We really didn't discuss music with them, you know? Since Anna is a stage actress who just finished a run with Cats, I would say show tunes may be her thing, but I don't really know. As far as Helmut goes, I only heard him listen to music once, and it wasn't a polka, it was some form of Euro/techno/punk. Why do you ask?'_ Amanda had quickly responded with, _"Oh you know me, sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me.'_

The longer Niki pondered these conversations, the deeper the furrow in her brow became, which led her husband to ask her, "Niki, do you have a headache? Or are you merely contemplating carrying out the perfect crime? If it's the crime, you must let me in on it. I love creating a mystery for others to solve. It's almost like working with String Theory."

Niki gave her partner a wan smile and waved his concerns off with, "Neither, I was just thinking about our friends and how everything is changing for us…AGAIN."

Sheldon nodded at her, completely placated. No one hated change more than he did and he felt extra close to Niki for admitting she felt much the same way in this situation. "Carry on." he told her, "I know exactly how distressing that can be." With that, they both returned to gazing out the window and Sheldon's mind returned to his ruminations about two of his best friends. _I've never seen Wolowitz ask so many questions about someone he has never met. It isn't like he won't get to know the man, Koothrappali will be gone six months! Why should he care what music the man likes, or if he knows how to swim? What was that all about, anyway? And Raj did the same thing, although he has more of a legitimate reason to inquire about the man who will replace him. Still, he failed to ask a single question about the man's qualifications. Instead, he kept harping on what sorts of food Helmut preferred, as if that matters to a serious scientist such as me. I don't understand that at all. I'm not as puzzled about Howard, though. Wolowitz has always been a bit 'off' socially. He really should work on that. Anyway, what will be, will be. I suppose I am not responsible for the senseless questions people ask. The last time a person asked me such pointless questions about someone else…Oh No!_

Try as she might, Niki's mind refused to let go of the remembrances of her two friends grilling her about someone they had both never met. _Why would they go on like that? I mean, Amanda is always curious about everything, but Bernie? It guess it kind of goes with the mindset of being scientists, but why would Bernie care as much as Amanda? She will never work with either Anna or Helmut, and neither of them is filling in for HER husband! Something's up here. The last time someone grilled me about what music and food someone liked…WAIT!_

At the same instant, Sheldon and Niki turned towards each other, horror clearly written all over both of their faces, and exclaimed in unison, "Our friends are planning a surprise party!"

Sheldon's voice was filled with panic as he asked his wife, "Dear Lord, what are we going to do?"

Niki just shook her head sadly and replied, "Shit if I know. But we just paid for two rooms for two days at Grand Californian at Disneyland!"

"This is a most unfortunate development. We've got to stop their plans before they turn Helmut and Anna against them…and both of us!"

"I know that!" Niki snapped, "But the problem is, how are we going to do it?"

"I suppose, seeing as we both possess highly above average intelligence, we should put our heads together and come up with a plan that keeps everyone happy."

"Sheldon, I'm lost here, and I think you are, also. So, the question becomes, who do we both know who could help us solve this dilemma?"

Sheldon's face visibly brightened as he replied, "Niki, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Niki's grin began to match her husband's, "I'm pretty sure I am. Just chill for a minute while I try to call your mother. Thank God Alfred's working in France now, instead of Borneo, like he was last year. Reaching either of them by phone was pretty hit and miss then."

Sheldon's wife quickly pulled her phone out of her purse and placed the call to Mary Cooper. The phone only rang twice before it was answered with a happy greeting of, _Niki, how are you two darlin's doin'? And what is all the dang background noise?"_

 _Hi, Mary. The background noise is just airport noise. We're here picking up Helmut and Annelise. Look, I'm sorry to bother you like this, but Sheldon and I have a problem we'd like you to help us solve._

 _You mean the problem ain't Shelly this time?_

 _No, Mary. This particular problem concerns multiple people, and your son isn't one of them._

 _Well praise the Lord for that! Now, what is it darlin'? Alfred and I were about to head out to dinner, but I have a minute or two to spare for my favorite daughter-in-law._

 _Mary, I'm your only daughter-in-law. But okay, it goes like this. Helmut and Annelise are landing here in a few minutes. Did you know that Helmut offered to come all the way out to Altadena from Heidelberg to fill in for Raj when he and his wife go to work in Hawaii for a few months?_

 _Well, ain't that nice of him. That don't sound like much of a problem to me._

 _Mary, the problem is that a few of our friends are trying to plan a surprise party to welcome them here._

 _I must be missing something, darlin'. I still don't see where you and Shelly have a problem._

 _Okay, here's the problem. Sheldon and I have just reserved two rooms at a very expensive hotel here at Disneyland as a way of welcoming them to Southern California. We can't get our money back, we got a real deal as regular customers of the place. Now, we don't want to lose our money, plus, we are really looking forward to showing Helmut and Anna around Disneyland. On the other hand, we don't want to deny our friends the chance to do something nice, something they've most likely spent a lot of time and money on. Now do you see our problem?_

 _Let me talk a bit with Shelly, honey. I need his take on this here thing._

Niki reluctantly passed her phone over to her husband. _Okay, here he is._

 _Shelly?_

 _Yes, Mother._

 _This hotel you all have booked, Niki says it's a might expensive._

 _Yes, but that is to be expected. It is a four-star hotel inside a major theme park._

 _I see. Now, these four-star hotels have lots of rooms in them, don't they?_

 _Of course, Mother, it's quite large._

 _I don't suppose that any of those rooms would be big enough to hold that party your friends are planning, do you?_

 _What are you suggesting?_

 _I'm suggestin' that you and your friends hold that welcoming party right there in that big hotel you're all stayin' at. That way, you and Niki get to show them folks Disneyland and your friends can have their party._

 _But it was supposed to be a surprise party._

 _Last time I checked, you were none too fond of those, but this is what I think. You all keep this party a secret from that couple and hit them with it after you all get checked in. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?_

 _I'll give you back to Niki. She handles social arrangements much better than I do._

 _Niki, darlin'?_

 _Yes, Mary?_

 _I was just tellin' Shelly that you people should throw that big welcoming party right there in that great big ol' hotel you're stayin' at. You guys get to show your friends Disneyland and your other friends get to have their party. What do you think, honey?_

 _I think I've just discovered where Sheldon got his brains from. That idea is pure genius! I'll just text Amanda and Bernie that we are going to be taking Helmut and Anna to Disneyland for the weekend and we were thinking that the hotel was a great place to throw a party for the new arrivals. Knowing our friends, they've all ready bought all the food and drinks, so this will give them a chance to use them._

 _Now that's good thinkin', girl. Look, Alfred's starting to stare at his watch, so that means I gotta go. Give my love to Shelly and everyone, especially that youngun' of yours, and we'll be seeing you all in a few weeks. Lord Bless, darlin'._

 _The same to you, Mary. And thank you. Talk to you later._

 _You bet._

Before the jet carrying Helmut and Annelise had landed, Niki had sent off a few quick texts inviting the Koothrappalis, Wolowitzes, and Hofstadters to celebrate their new friends' arrival in Los Angeles at a spectacular party the Coopers were throwing at Disneyland's Grand Californian Hotel.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Somewhere in a home in Altadena, Bernadette Wolowitz looked down at her phone and angrily cried out, "Whaaat? How could Niki do this to me?"

Her husband, Howard, stared across the kitchen table at his wife and asked in a pained voice, "Okay, Bernie, I give up. Who texted you and why did it upset you?" He added softly under his breath, "Not that you really need a reason, sometimes."

Bernie snapped back at him, "I heard that you putz! Anyway, enough about you, this is important. You know how Penny and I arranged to have a welcoming party for those people from Germany?"

Howard merely shrugged his shoulders and answered, "How could I not have? It's all you've been complai…er…talking about the last two days."

Bernie's eyes narrowed ominously as she spat out, "Your pushing your luck there, Howie. Anyway, Niki just sent me a text telling me they are throwing a party for those guys at Disneyland, at one of the hotels there."

Howard was confused, "So? What's the problem? It will mean a lot less work for you. No cleaning the house, no food to prepare…why are you upset?"

"Because I've already ordered all the food from the caterers and it's too late to get my money back, that's why!"

"Well, why don't you and Penny take all the food over to the hotel? It will make the both of you look really good to the Coopers and then they'll owe you both one. Which I'm sure you'll find a reason to collect on in the near future."

At Howard's words, Bernadette Wolowitz's countenance completely changed and she looked lovingly at her husband as she responded with, "Howie, you're a genius! That's a great idea! Let me text Penny and tell her the plan. Oh, never mind, she just texted me the news of the party. I guess Niki told her, too."

"Well, tell her about the new plan and look like the smart one."

"Howie, I can't do that. Penny's ever bit as…okay. Just wait a minute while I send her a text."

In response, Howard simply gave a brief smile and went back to the game he had been playing on his phone.

In another part of Altadena, another couple were having a similar discussion. Amanda Koothrappali furrowed her brows as she concentrated on the sheet of paper she held in her hand.

Raj Koothrappali looked over at his wife with concern written all over his face. He finally asked her, "What's up? You look like you're either really worried about something or concentrating on a killer hard equation."

Amanda gave her husband a brief smile and reassured him, "Don't worry, Raj. I'm just concentrating on this list of food and music for the party we're giving for your replacement and his lady."

He began to feel her concern and replied in a worried voice, "Okay, what are we having to eat? I need to get going in the kitchen soon if we're going to have our buffet ready by Friday."

Amanda's face went from pure concentration to dismay as she hurriedly read the text that came in from Niki Cooper. "Oh, drat!" was all she said.

"What's the matter now? You look like someone just stole your idea for a good paper or something."

Amanda slowly shook her head and kept staring down at her phone, "Raj, don't start cooking anything. Niki just sent me a text inviting us to a party she and Sheldon are throwing for Annelise and Helmut at some hotel at Disneyland."

Now it was Raj's turn for an outburst, "But we bought all those decorations, and we had the pool cleaned especially for this thing!"

"I know, I know, but what can we do? We can't tell the Coopers to cancel their thing so we can do ours."

Raj thought deeply for a moment and then answered his wife with, "No, but we can bring our party to theirs. I can still cook something delicious and bring the music. All we have to do is bring those things with us to the hotel. That could work!

Amanda looked across the table at her husband and, once again, furrowed her brows, "I don't know, do you think all that stuff will fit in our car?"

Her husband shook his head resolutely and answered, "Not really. But we can rent an SUV for the day. Those can hold an entire kid's soccer team in them. A few containers of food and party supplies will be nothing."

Excitement returned to the lovely brunette's face as she smiled broadly and slapped the top of the kitchen table, "Okay, let's do it! You start cooking and I'll handle everything else."

"You got it. I think this is one of my best ideas yet!"

 **Really, Raj? Maybe if someone else had not had the same idea…**


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Settling In

 **Helmut and Annelise finally land in Los Angeles.**

After sending her texts, Niki settled back down in her seat to wait with her husband for the arrival of Annelise and Helmut. "I hope they had a good flight." were the first words out of her mouth.

Why wouldn't they? They are flying on Binary's jet, which has excellent accoutrements and undergoes rigorous safety checks monthly. Actually, having flown on the thing on our way home, I have decided I enjoy flying on that particular jet almost as well as going somewhere by train.

Wow, that's saying a lot, coming from you. Oh look! There they are!

Both Sheldon and Niki saw their German friends emerge from customs and ran over to them quickly, Niki enveloping Anna in an enthusiastic hug and Sheldon doing the male equivalent by briefly clasping Helmut's shoulder and taking his bags from him. "There is no need for you to be carrying these. You are most likely tired from your flight, and besides that, you two are our guests."

Niki added, "We are so happy to see you guys! Was your flight okay?" The younger couple mutely smiled and nodded as a response. At that, Niki spotted a porter and motioned for him to come over to where they were standing. After some money changed hands, the porter loaded all the suitcases and bags onto his cart and joined both couples in their journey to the nearby VIP parking lot. As the luggage was unloaded and stored in the car's trunk, Sheldon slipped the man another twenty-dollar-bill and sent him and his cart on their way back to the airport terminal.

Sheldon decided he would be driving them all to Pasadena, so he announced, "Niki, could you sit in the back with Annelise. I do believe Helmut should sit up front with me, so I can better fill him in on the work he will be doing with us."

Niki rolled her eyes and gave her husband a mild rebuke, "Sheldon, I could also fill him in perfectly well, but I guess I can make better conversation with Anna than you could."

The tall man smiled indulgently at his wife and replied in a warm tone, "Thank you, Niki. I knew you would understand."

His wife nodded in agreement and added, "I always understand you, Schatze." She then added an honest, "Or most of the time, anyway."

After they had left the airport area and were heading home on the freeway, Annelise asked Niki, "Does marriage really do that to you? The understanding of each other?"

Niki shook her head and gave her seatmate a quick grin, "No. Marriage itself is no sort of magic. It's just being together for a long time that does it. That either brings you closer together or drives you apart. Luckily for us, it has done the former."

Sheldon viewed his wife in the rearview mirror and responded to her comment with, "Well, you must admit, we have gone through quite a few things together in the last few years. We have definitely had some adventures."

Helmut turned to his host and asked him, "Like what?"

Niki laughed heartily from the back seat, "We'll tell you all of that later. Right now, we want to get you home to my old apartment and show you around the place. We'll order some food in and then we can talk all you want."

Annelise began to relax and settled back into her seat after answering, "Sounds good to me."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Upon arrival at her old Pasadena apartment, Niki began to grow sentimental. "This is where I was living when I first met Sheldon."

Helmut look around at the spacious apartment, "It must bring back a lot of memories, coming back here."

Niki looked around the kitchen and living room and her mind began a nostalgic journey, "It does. You know, it's funny, when we come here to visit Mary and Alfred, that doesn't happen. We see it as their place. But bringing you two here, yeah, my mind is going back in time."

Sheldon gently interrupted his wife with, "May I make a suggestion?"

"Of course. What is it?"

Sheldon picked up two of the suitcases lying on the floor and addressed Niki, "Let's help these good people unpack and then we'll order some dinner to be delivered. After we all eat, we can fill Helmut and Annelise in on all that went down in our lives while we lived here."

Niki nodded in reply and grabbed one of Annelise's bags and headed for the bedroom, "Good idea. That retelling could take a while. A lot happened to both of us while we lived here. There's some good stories to tell that shouldn't be rushed through."

So, while Niki got on her phone and ordered some Thai food, Sheldon showed their friends around the apartment and helped them unpack. Soon, the food, which both Helmut and Anna praised to the skies, arrived and both couples busied themselves with eating.

When all the food had been happily ingested, both couples sat back with contented smiles on their faces. "What do you call this food, again?" Helmut inquired with and earnest, 'I really need to know this' look on his face.

"Thai food." Sheldon quickly responded. "It happens to be our 'go to' food when Niki and I need something for dinner and don't have the time, or don't feel like, cooking."

"Excellent choice. Niki, you'll have to give me the name of the restaurant you got this delicious food from. I do believe it will become the 'go to' food for Helmut and me, also."

The older woman sat back and looked at Anna with a contented smile on her face, "I'm glad both of you liked the food. Now, since dinner has been finished, I do believe it is story time. Just being in this apartment eating Thai food has brought forth a flood of memories."

Annelise leaned forward in anticipation, "What kind of memories? Good or bad?"

Sheldon gave a soft chuckle and replied, "I suppose there was some of both, right Niki?"

"On that you are correct. Now, where do we start?"

Helmut looked from Sheldon to Niki and then back again, "How about when you first decided to move in together?"

"All right. I was spending far more time here than I was at the apartment I shared with Leonard and Penny. So, slowly, bit by bit, more of my belongings ended up here and before I knew it, Niki and I felt the time was right for me to just move in here with her. So, I did."

Annelise's eyes began to shine with excitement as she asked them, "And then?"

Niki started reminiscing, as much to herself as to the others in the room, "Well, let's see. First, we decided to leave Cal Tech and take Binary up on their generous offer of developing our own research center."

Sheldon continued, "Then we bought the compound we live at and where Helmut will be working."

Niki's eyes twinkled as she added, "We got engaged around then, too. At a rooftop prom."

Her husband's grin was genuine as he remarked, "That was a night I'll never forget."

"And I'll never forget our intern and all the trouble SHE caused."

Sheldon's face looked pained as he replied, "Neither will I, nor the court case we were drawn into."

Niki rolled her eyes at the memory of that time, "That was something I'll never forget, also. Revenge was very sweet that day."

"And then, of course, there was our cruise to Mexico with Leonard and Penny, right before we moved out of here and up to Altadena."

Niki gave a loud laugh, "Our wedding reception would not have been quite the same if not for the video of Sheldon at that event!"

Helmut put up his hand to stop them, "Okay, okay, you guys. Start from the beginning and don' spare us any details. These all sound like very good stories."

"Oh, they are, they are. Alright, you two. Let's start with Sheldon moving in here and bring you up to the present…"

Two hours later, Sheldon and Niki had finished regaling their friends with stories of their adventures together on Los Robles Avenue. Helmut and Annelise were amazed at all their friends had gone through and accomplished and both of them formed a new admiration for the two scientists sitting across the table from them. "You guys sure went through a lot in a short amount of time."

Sheldon sighed and nodded, "Yes, we did. I think that was a large part of what bonded us together so closely. At times it felt like it was us against the world.

Niki added in a lighter tone, "It wasn't all negative, Sheldon. Through the good and the bad times, we had an amazing group of friends who stood by us and who we still call our best friends to this day."

"That is true. Leonard, Penny, Howard, Bernadette, Raj, and Amanda have always been there for us when we needed them, and we have been there when they needed us as well."

Helmut smiled at Sheldon and responded eagerly, "We can't wait to meet all of them, besides Leonard and Penny, that is."

Niki tried, and failed, to contain her excitement as she informed them both, "Oh, you will. In fact, after we get you all settled in your office tomorrow, there's the little matter of a weekend at Disneyland we have planned for you two. You will be meeting all those fine folks at a little soiree we have planned for you there."

Annelise stared wide-eyed at Niki and grabbed her lover's arm, "What? Disneyland? Helmut, did you here that?"

"Yes, Anna. Sheldon, Niki, both of us have always wanted to go to Disneyland. How can we ever thank you?"

Sheldon remembered back to his time in Heidelberg and looked at the young scientist fondly, "Helmut, you already have. Many times over. I don't know where Leonard and I would have been without you while we were in Germany. And Annelise got Niki and Penny out of a very serious situation. This little get together is the least we could do for you."

Niki then chirped happily, "And wait until you meet the rest of our friends! This will be a weekend you will never forget!"

 **Truer words were never spoken, Niki. But will the memories be good or bad?**


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Surprise!

Sorry it's been so long but having three jobs doesn't leave me much time for writing. My contract has recently ended on one job, so this has allowed me to finish this chapter.

 **I do believe the real surprise will be for the Wolowitzes and the Koothrappalis.**

After making sure Helmut and Annelise were settled in their temporary home, Sheldon and Niki headed back to their own house, both of their heads filled with happy memories.

Niki rolled over in their bed and placed her head on her husband's chest, "You know, Sheldon, all that reminiscing got me to thinking."

He pulled her closer to him and ran his fingers through her hair as he replied, "About what, if I may ask?"

"Us. Our past, our future, and our present."

Sheldon thought a moment and then kissed the top of Niki's head, "Okay, suppose you fill me in."

"For starters, our home is here. Right here. Not at Stanford, not galivanting around the country giving lectures. Our hearts are here in this immediate area. Here is where our business is located. Here is where our friends are. Here is where we had our first child and will shortly have our second. Here is where we work. And love. And just plain LIVE! I've decided I don't want to go up to Stanford to lecture for the summer. I'll be pregnant with our second child, and I don't want to miss one second of time being with you and Lori while that is going on. We are a family and your Germany trip taught me one thing, both of us operate far better when we are together, not apart.'

Sheldon nodded and added thoughtfully, "That is quite a bit of thinking. Are you sure about Stanford?"

Niki nodded against his chest, "Quite sure. I'm going to call them tomorrow and see if I can Skype those lectures to them, not be there in person."

"Do you think they will go for that?"

Niki couldn't help but grin as she answered him, "They should. Being pregnant makes most people very understanding of your situation, Sheldon."

Sheldon rolled over to face his wife and agreed with her. "That it does. You know, you've got me thinking about my situation. I wonder if Leonard and I could book all of our lectures somewhere locally and have people come to us to hear them, not us go to them."

"Did you not hear what I just said? You could hold your lecture somewhere local but send them electronically to wherever they are needed. Both you and Leonard could use the excuse that you don't want to travel that much while your wives are pregnant."

Sheldon's face brightened considerably, and he exclaimed, "Say, that's a great idea! I must confess, I wasn't relishing the idea of us being separated and Leonard and I traveling the country while our wives were elsewhere getting ever further along with child. I do believe you will not be the only one making some phone calls tomorrow. You often have some brilliant ideas, Freckles, and this one of them."

Niki began to trace sensuous circles on her husband's chest, then reached up and brought his head down to hers, "I have another brilliant idea for you, Schatze."

Sheldon grinned playfully at his wife as he asked, "And what would that be?"

Niki's hands began to explore his body and she answered him in her most seductive voice, "I think you have a pretty good idea, judging by your non-verbal response."

Sheldon began his own sensuous exploration of his spouse's body and told her, "It seems the physical pleasure I experience with you never ebbs or grows old. I find that amazing."

"As amazing as String Theory?" she teased him.

"Yes, and much more enjoyable." With that, Sheldon's mouth found Niki's and any thoughts about lecture series, coming children, String Theory, or any of their friends were soon erased.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next afternoon, at the Grand Californian Hotel, another couple was having an entirely different conversation. "Come on, Howie, hurry! Do you not know what 'hurry' means? It means speed it up! We don't want to get to the party late and miss anything."

Howard Wolowitz rolled his eyes and snapped, "It's hard to hurry when you're pushing a dolly loaded with ten containers of food and party favors."

Bernadette's eyes narrowed, and she spat out, "Quit whining and get a move on! I can't wait to meet the people from Germany. If it was up to you, we wouldn't get there until everyone had left!"

Kelly Wolowitz turned and chided her mother with a stern, "Well, Mom, if you're in such a hurry, why don't we both help Dad?"

Howard looked thankfully at his daughter and replied, "That's all right, honey. I've got this. Your mother is just a little anxious, that's all."

"No, Howie. Kelly's right. I'm sorry. Here, let me help you get this load over to the elevator. I am anxious about all of this, but I had no right to snap at you. I've really got to stop doing that. Kelly, honey, can you press the button for the third floor?"

When the elevator doors opened on the third floor, Bernadette's temper was lost once more. Looking down the hallway, her eyes narrowed, and she called out, "And just what are you two doing?"

Raj and Amanda Koothrappali met her stare for stare as they proceeded to wheel a cart of their own towards the banquet hall to their right. As they walked, Amanda threw back over her shoulder, "Bernie, we're bringing the party to the Coopers." Spying the load that Howard was pushing, she added, "And what are you doing?"

Bernie's husband sheepishly replied, "I guess the same thing you guys are. What's in your boxes?"

"Food," Raj answered him, "lovingly prepared by my own two hands. What about you? Take out?"

Bernie answered him with an air of superiority, "For your information, this food was ordered from one of the finest catering services in town. So there!"

"It's still probably not as good as Raj's." Howard muttered under his breath.

"Oh shut up, Howie. It is too!"

It was little Kelly Wolowitz who finally made the peace, "Mom, you know Uncle Raj is an amazing cook, so I think we're all in for a treat. And Uncle Raj, Mom and Dad really did order this food from the best caterer in Pasadena, so it's going to be wonderful, too! Why don't we all just go to the party and have a great time instead of fighting?"

All four adults looked over at the petite young lady and marveled at both her maturity and wisdom. Amanda's face turned flaming red as she turned to her friends, "I think your daughter's right. We've all been acting like children. Let's just go and have a good time."

The Wolowitzes looked sheepishly at the Koothrapallis and Howard smiled and nodded, "I don't know where she gets it. It certainly didn't come from her mother or me. But at times like this, I'm really glad we brought her along."

Raj threw back his head and laughed, "So are we! Come on, let's go meet the Coopers and their friends and get this party started!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Meanwhile, in the banquet room, the Coopers were talking with their German friends, giving them a heads up as to what they should expect from the evening.

Niki began her explanation with, "Now, the Koothrappalis are the couple who are headed off to Hawaii. You will find them very interesting. Raj is the partner who won the Nobel Prize with us. He's a most brilliant scientist, but he has a side that is somewhat different."

Annelise turned to her friend, a quizzical look on her face and asked, "In what way?"

Sheldon picked up where his wife had left off, "He has a strong affinity for what is called, 'chick flicks'. If it's guaranteed to make your lady cry, Raj will be right there, sharing the tears."

Niki grinned and added, "Raj is also an amazing cook and dj."

At that, Helmut gave a short laugh and exclaimed, "Really! That's rather interesting."

Sheldon looked over at Niki for confirmation and explained to the other couple, "He's been the dj at several of our parties. He has helped make them quite entertaining affairs." Niki nodded her affirmation of that fact.

Annelise decided to inquire about the other half of this couple, "What about his wife? What is she like?"

Niki was quick with a description of Raj's wife, "Amanda is highly intelligent, she's the head of the Astronomy Department at UCLA. She's also stunningly beautiful."

Sheldon interjected, "I don't know how Raj pulled off marrying her. She seems a bit out of his league. Not like my wife and me."

Helmut and Anna threw a questioning look at Niki, who hastened to reply, "Sheldon, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is the inside of a person, their heart and mind, that should attract people to each other."

Sheldon gave his better half a sly grin and replied, "Perhaps. I have always been attracted to your mind, but long legs, cute freckles, and amazing gray eyes didn't hurt your chances of snagging yours truly."

Helmut's next question to Niki cut through the air like a knife, "What attracted you to Sheldon?"

"His mind, mostly. But I loved the way he danced, that he was tall, and that he had a pair of the bluest eyes I had ever seen. He also made just about anything we did incredibly fun!"

At that point, Sheldon felt compelled to remind his wife, "Well, Niki, among our friends I _am_ considered the life of the party."

Helmut and Annelise exchanged another puzzled look and then pretended to concentrate on the decorations in the room. "Niki, are any of your friends bringing anything? It seems to me you and Sheldon took care of just about everything."

"Well, they might. And I must let you know, Leonard and Penny were a big help to us in pulling this thing together. Penny, especially, was amazing."

Annelise's smile was wide as she exclaimed to both Sheldon and Niki, "I can't wait to see her again! She is one of the most unique people I have ever met."

Sheldon mumbled to himself, "That's one way of putting it."

Niki jabbed a well-placed elbow into her husband's side and hissed, "Hush! You know you love Penny to bits!"

"Of course, I do. Quirks and all."

Niki added happily as she repositioned a string of balloons, "And she says the same thing about you, honey."

"Why would she say…"

He was interrupted by the door opening and Leonard and Penny bounding into the room shouting, "We're finally here! Let's get this party started!" as Penny happily waved a bottle of wine over her head.

Sheldon turned to his wife and stated, "Like I said, quirks."

As Helmut took the glass of wine offered to him by Penny, he brought the conversation back to the other couples yet to arrive. "What about the Wolowitzes? What are they like?"

Niki turned to him and offered up, "Well, Howard is Raj's best friend, just like Leonard is Sheldon's. He's happily married to Bernadette, who we all call Bernie. They have the most adorable daughter who's about to turn 11, Kelly. They make a cute family."

Helmut look somewhat confused as he asked her, "Cute?"

Niki nodded affirmatively, "Yeah, cute. They're all on the small side, but they all have big personalities, especially Bernie. Annelise, Bernie is pretty close to you in size, but she's a little different from you."

"I'll say." Sheldon pronounced to no one in particular.

Once again, Niki's elbow met her husband's side, "Sheldon, please. Anna, you're on the quiet side when you're not onstage, but Bernie can be very opinionated, sarcastic, and a bit pushy. Buuut, she has one of the biggest hearts you will ever see. She's really loyal and once she has become your friend, she's your friend for life."

At that precise moment, both the Wolowitzes and the Koothrappalis burst through the door, pushing their respective carts in front of them.

Bernie hollered out, "Well, it took us long enough, but we're all finally here! Oh, you must be Annelise and Helmut." She stuck out her hand, "Pleased to meet you. The Coopers and the Hofstadters have told us so much about the both of you!'

Annelise gave the tiny blonde woman a tight grin and responded with, "And they have told us just as much about you.'

Bernie's eyes narrowed, "Like what?"

Helmut got between the two women and made and effort to placate Howard's wife, "Niki told us you two have an adorable daughter and both of you are loyal, trustworthy friends."

Bernie's eyes went wide with surprise, "She said that?"

Annelise was quick to respond, "Yes, indeed."

Bernie crossed the room and hugged her friend, "Awww, Niki! Thank you! You are so sweet. And honest, too."

Sheldon asked in indignation, "Hey, what about me? Aren't I sweet also?"

Penny was quick to intercede, "Sheldon, you're, you're…Sheldon. You're unique and we wouldn't have you any way but the way you are."

Sheldon was about to thank his friend when Raj broke in with, "Hi, I'm Dr. Koothrappali and this is my wife, Amanda. I guess you're going to be my replacement while I'm gone. We're leaving for Hawaii in a couple of days, so would you like to meet me at my office tomorrow to go over my research?"

Niki explained to her friend's husband, "Raj, Helmut and Anna are spending the weekend here with us, at Disneyland. But either Sheldon or I should be able to fill Helmut in perfectly well on what you are doing." She turned to her spouse and asked him in a voice that demanded an affirmative response, "Right, honey?"

Sheldon nodded and agreed with his wife, "Of course." He then continued with, "Raj, you are a fine scientist and researcher, but Helmut has followed our research the last week we were in Germany and is well aware of what you are currently doing. He should be fine. I didn't ask him to fill in for you merely based on friendship."

Seeing Raj's crestfallen face, Helmut hastened to add, "Raj, Sheldon showed me some of your work several days before he and Niki left Heidelberg. I must commend you on our research, it is of the highest order and I will have to truly apply myself to rise to your level of expertise. And I must say this before anyone else speaks," he turned to face Amanda and told her, "The Coopers were correct, you are an extremely beautiful woman. Niki has informed me that you are as intelligent as you are attractive. Raj is indeed a lucky man, much like I am lucky to have Anna."

Helmut's pronouncement was met with smiles throughout the room. Good humor restored among all the couples, Penny called out, "Hey, enough science talk! Let's get this party started!"

 **Things should go well as long as everyone behaves themselves. Oh wait, Penny brought wine…**


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55: The Wrath of Grapes…

 **Work is still crazy, sometimes I work 7 days per week, but I still manage to write something every other day. Just hang in there with me until some things are settled at my job. Now, back to the party…**

Two hours later, all the food and been eaten and most of the wine had been consumed by everyone except the pregnant ladies and Kelly Wollowitz. The music played by Raj and been fun and everyone had enjoyed themselves immensely while they danced. An awkward silence descended on the room when Kelly briefly left the room and Amanda said out of nowhere, "Bernie, it must have been nice to meet Annelise and have someone your own size to pick on."

As Penny and Niki gasped, Bernie stepped closer to the taller woman and demanded, "What did you mean by that, Amanda? Are you saying I must have been pleased to meet someone as short as me?'

Oblivious to the brewing storm, Raj's wife answered jokingly, "Yeah, you bet. It isn't often we get to see two munchkins talking in this day and age."

Sheldon muttered to himself, "Oh dear god." And he looked to Niki for an answer that was not forthcoming.

Bernie's eyes narrowed, and her voice went up yet another octave, "Munchkins? Is that what you called us, bitch?"

Niki tried vainly to placate her friend, "Bernadette, I'm sure she didn't mean it that way."

At her words, the tiny blonde turned her wrath on Sheldon's wife, "Excuse me, there's another way to take the word munchkin?"

Raj interjected hastily, "Bernie, did you just call my wife a bitch?"

"I sure did, Buster. You got a problem with that?"

Sheldon once again mumbled a heartfelt plea to a god he did not believe in and looked to his wife for support before he spoke out loud, "Bernadette, I'm sure Amanda misspoke because of the wine. Alcohol sometimes makes a person say stupid things without realizing it. Look at Penny."

Leonard turned and warned him, "Hey, buddy. That's my wife you're talking about!"

"I know full well who your wife is, Hofstadter. I've known her almost as long as I've known you. Even you can't say that Penny does not overindulge in the vino from time to time."

Leonard walked up to Sheldon and spat out, "At least my wife only says hurtful things because she's drunk. Niki let's fly with the insults all the time, even when she's stone cold sober."

Now it was Niki's turn to add to the chaos, "Excuse me, Leonard? When have I ever insulted either you or Penny? Tell me. When?"

Penny looked over at Sheldon's wife, hands on hips, and answered, "How about when you roll your eyes whenever I don't understand some science thing"

Niki pointedly corrected her, "You mean scientific term, right?"

"There you go again!"

In response, Sheldon addressed Penny, no small amount of anger in his voice, "At least my wife uses good grammar when she puts someone down. As do I."

"Oh, shut up, Sheldon! You call Bazinga good grammar?"

He looked down his nose at his wife's friend and replied, "I am of the opinion that it is far superior to using acronyms such as, lmfao!"

Penny immediately fired back, "Get off it, Sheldon! That's how you support your point? Everyone uses lmfao!"

"Yes, I know. That's why I consider it common."

"I suppose you are thinking, 'Common, just like Penny'."

Sheldon was quick to reply with a heartfelt, "Not at all."

Penny's arms were crossed resolutely across her chest as she responded with a curious, "That would be a first. Why not?"

"Because you are my wife's best friend and that is special to me. Also, you and Leonard have always been there for Niki and me."

Penny's stance immediately softened, "You mean that?"

Niki put her arm around her husband in a show of support, "Sheldon never says things he doesn't mean."

Howard muttered under his breath, "Unfortunately."

Penny looked at her friend, whose arms now both encircled her husband, "He doesn't need you to defend him, Niki. I was talking to Sheldon."

Niki's arms dropped from Sheldon's waist and she gave her friend a disappointed look, "Well forgive me for trying to play peacemaker between two people I love!"

All conversation suddenly ceased as the entire group noticed Kelly Wollowitz standing in the doorway. She shook her head sadly and, with tears in her eyes, addressed the adults, "Excuse me if I am talking out of turn, I know I'm just a kid, but aren't all of you people supposed to be best friends? Aunt Penny, Aunt Niki, Aunt Amanda, Mommy, Uncle Sheldon, Uncle Leonard, Daddy, and Uncle Raj, why are you all talking like this to each other?"

All the parties involved stopped and looked sheepishly at each other.

Amanda was the first to speak, "Bernie, I'm sorry if I made you feel badly. I've always wanted to be short, blonde, and cute. It was more jealousy than anything else that started it all. I apologize."

Bernadette looked at her incredulously, "You're jealous, of me?"

"And of Annelise. I always feel too big and clumsy around tiny, petite women."

Annelise interjected, "Well, I've always wanted to be tall. Tall actresses seem to get all the best parts. I'm always the kid sister or someone's daughter in plays. Never the love interest. The only time my size has worked in my favor was in Cats."

Sheldon looked to Penny with a shamed look on his face, "And I didn't mean any insult when I mentioned your drinking, Penny. We all know you do imbibe a bit when you are not with child, but you have cut you drinking way down in the past couple of years. I spoke out of turn."

Penny smiled back at him, "And Sheldon, I think Bazinga is a good word. Lmfao, well, that is sooo common. But you came up with Bazinga on your own. It is truly a word of you own creation. I kind of admire that."

It was then Bernie's turn, "Amanda, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I've always wanted to be tall and leggy like you. Unfortunately, I'm pint sized."

Howard finally spoke loud enough to be heard, "But, honey, you're all the woman I could ever want or need."

"Oh, Howie!"

Amanda added to the love fest, "Bernie, I accept your apology. You know I think the world of you. You're so smart and quick-witted. And such a good mother!"

Kelly piped up, "She sure is! And you're a great mommy to Cinnamon!"

Raj looked at his wife proudly and agreed, "Yes, she is. Hey, why don't we all stop arguing and listen to me for a minute."

Leonard was eager for the night to get back on an even keel, so he turned his friend and replied, "Okay. What do you want to say, Raj?"

"Well, Amanda and I are leaving in a couple of days and won't be able to be there live for Penny's opening night. So, Amanda and I bought her a little present."

Penny's eyes went both wide and moist as she exclaimed, "Oh, you guys! You shouldn't have! "

Raj grinned broadly and responded happily, "I know, but we did." With that, he held out a small package, which Penny took began to tear open.

"It's all right if I open it now, isn't it?"

Amanda almost screamed with impatience, "Of course! We want to see your reaction!"

As Leonard had been doing since Penny had resurrected her career, the Koothrappalis had purchased a gold charm for her bracelet. As Penny was about to start a run in A Streetcar Named Desire, the box she opened contained a small streetcar, with Penny's name written along the length of it. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she cried, "You guys! What can I say? It's perfect! And now you're going away to Hawaii and heaven knows when I'll see you again."

Amanda wiped the tears from her own eyes and reminded her friend, "Hey, there's always Skype. And Raj and I promise to be back before the babies are born."

At Amanda's words, Sheldon held up one hand and cleared his throat, "A bit of warning, Skype got Niki and I into a most troublesome situation."

Niki put her arms back around her husband and reassured him, "Honey, don't worry about it. Amanda and Penny aren't married. They'll be fine. Besides, we worked everything out and now look, we've made some amazing new friends who are here with us tonight."

Penny began to cry once more, "But Niki, you are leaving for Stanford soon, and Leonard and Sheldon are going on that lecture tour. The only people I'll have are Helmut and Anna. While I love you guys, I love it best when everyone is here, in Altadena. Not scattered around the country."

"Well then, we've all got some good news for you, Bestie. I'm going to do my lecture series from right here in Southern California, in the comfort of my own living room. I've traveled around enough lately, and I really don't want to leave home this summer. Luckily, the school agreed, and I will be giving cyber lectures for the class to watch online. So, I'm pretty much staying put right here and continuing my research."

Leonard quickly added, "And Sheldon and I are doing the same thing with our lectures, sort of. We'll be holding our lectures at the Griffith Park Observatory and they will be live streamed for anyone who wants to listen, for a not-so-nominal price, that is. A meet and greet will still be held for those who attend the lectures live, of course."

Sheldon continued the explanation, "With both of our wives being pregnant, neither Leonard nor I wished to be far from home. Everyone involved was quite willing to work with us. Of course, we will still be going to Washington D.C. to accept our awards, but we shall be taking our families with us. That is one thing I have come to realize; my family and friends have to come first sometimes. Not always, of course, but sometimes."

"Like now?" Niki teased him.

"Like now." With that, Sheldon pulled his wife closer to him and planted a tender kiss on the top of her head. Leonard did likewise with Penny.

Kelly Wollowitz took in the scene in front of her and then smiled broadly as she announced, "Hey, all you adult people."

Howard looked down at his tiny daughter with love as he asked her, "What Sweetie?"

"How about we all stay here tonight at the hotel and go together to Disneyland tomorrow?"

At her words, Sheldon Cooper stepped boldly forward and tapped Kelly's father on the shoulder, "Howard, a word with you about you child, if you don't mind."

His friend and his wife both rolled their eyes as they responded together, "What is it, Sheldon?"

As Niki attempted to steer her husband away from his coming remark by tugging at his arm, he purposefully ignored her and continued with, "I do believe you are raising a genius. Kelly's idea is wonderful and I, for one, second the motion."

Amanda looked over at Raj, "It would be fun to spend time with all of our friends before we leave."

Bernie voiced her enthusiasm as well, "Howie, this would be a great opportunity for all of us to make some good memories with our friends."

Kelly added, "And we could show Helmut and Anna all the best rides!"

Sheldon grinned down at her, "That we could, Kelly. Let's take a vote. All in favor of young Wollowitz's idea, raise your hand. Everyone's hand went up and it became unanimous, their entire group would stay the night at the hotel and the next day, help show Helmut and Annelise around the park.

 **Well, that was settled amicably. Now, on to Penny's opening night!**


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56: The Play's the Thing

 **I'm finally back to writing this story. Things have gotten even crazier at work, new management, new people, new title and promotion for me. The dust has settled a little bit, so I'm back to working on this story. Sorry for the delay.**

Helmut and Annelise were unpacking their belongings and trying to make their new abode feel more like their home and less like someone else's they had borrowed. Niki's old apartment was both spacious and attractive, but it was a far cry from Helmut's clean, sparse, and modern apartment in Heidelberg. On the walls of the living room hung many pictures of the grandchildren of both Mary and Alfred, as well as several of Sheldon and Niki and Leonard and Penny. To counter that, Annelise placed a few framed pictures of her and Helmut in both Germany and the UK on the fireplace mantle. Helmut joined her by hanging a couple of posters of Annelise in Cats on each side of that. When they had finished, they looked at each other fondly and both gave a contented sigh.

Stepping back to survey their efforts, Helmut nodded at Annelise and smiled, "Now it looks a little bit as though we actually live here."

"That it does. Helmut, do you have any idea what you would like for dinner? The kitchen is very well equipped, and I saw that the refrigerator and freezer were left well-stocked."

The handsome German smiled wickedly and replied in a happy voice, "I do believe a tradition was started here by the Coopers a long time ago when they first started living together. Whenever they both had experienced a long, hard, day, they ordered food in."

Annelise walked over to the kitchen counter and took a seat on one of the leather covered stools placed there, "Okay, love. What shall we order?"

Helmut took long strides which carried him from the far end of the living room to the kitchen in a matter of seconds, "Look for some brochures in the kitchen somewhere, most likely in one of the junk drawers." He then paused a moment and considered the situation, then continued, "Wait, Sheldon lived here. There are most likely no junk drawers in this kitchen. Now, let's think; where would Sheldon Cooper stash a restaurant take out menu?"

His fiancé rose from her seat and made a suggestion, "From what I've seen of the man, he probably had all the menus and phone numbers to their favorite places saved on his phone."

"Right you are, Liebchen. So, what do we do? Call Sheldon?"

Annelise's face brightened, "Or Niki. She most likely knows the number to all their favorite places. That girl does have a head for numbers."

Helmut nodded, "They both do. Yes, let's call them and ask for the name and phone number of their favorite Italian restaurant. Is Italian fine with you?"

"Italian sounds perfect. Let me give Niki a call."

Before she could begin her call, Penny Hofstadter burst through the door of their apartment, squealing, "Girl, do I have big news for you!"

Annelise put down her phone and looked open-mouthed at her surprise visitor, "Okay, Penny. You sure look excited. What's your big news?"

Penny quickly gathered herself and began to explain, "Look, we all know I'm pregnant, and getting more pregnant by the minute. I do believe that shortly after the play begins its run, I won't exactly be able to pass off being the slim, single, Blanche."

Annelise solemnly nodded, "I'll agree with that. So what else?"

Now Penny grinned like the cat who had just swallowed the canary, "I've talked to both the producer and the director of Streetcar and they both agreed with me on that point."

Helmut's fiancée reached for her phone once more, "That's nice, Penny, but what does that have to do with me?"

"Girl, I merely suggested to them that you take the lead role and I play the part of preggo Stella, instead."

The phone was returned to the counter, "Did they agree to that?"

Penny's grin now got even wider, if that were possible, "Not only did they agree, but our director loves your work and wants you to come in and sign your contract tomorrow morning!"

"What? You're not kidding. are you?" Catching the look on her friend's face she continued, "No, you're not. Oh my god! I haven't even been here a week and already I have the lead in an important play in Los Angeles!" She then wrapped Penny in a bear hug and cried, "How can I ever thank you?"

"By having dinner with Leonard and me tonight." Seeing Annelise's hesitation, Penny added, "We're going to Nobu in Malibu. C'mon. The guys can talk science stuff and we can talk Tennessee Williams."

"Well, when you put it that way…."

Helmut gave an effusive smile and told the pretty blonde, "I do believe I can speak for both of us when I accept your kind offer. I would love to talk 'science stuff' with Leonard while you and Anna talk about the play."

Penny headed for the door and threw back over her shoulder, "Good. We'll meet you in front of this building in forty-five minutes. Oh, don't worry about paying, our treat."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The next morning Penny picked up Annelise and they headed to Los Angeles and the producer's office. Penny gave her fellow actress some advice on their way there, "Look, don't act like they're doing you some great favor or something. The director remembers you from The Glass Menagerie and the producer caught you in Cats in London. They were practically drooling at the chance to get you for this part."

Anna gave her friend a tight smile as she nodded, "All right, I won't. But I am still finding it hard to believe they want me. Did you do a good sales job for me by any chance?"

Penny chuckled softly, "No, silly. Did you ever read any of your reviews for Cats?'

"Of course I did, they were very nice. But still…"

"Stop that." Penny barked.

"Stop what?"

Penny turned quickly toward the woman next to her in the car and pointed out, "You voice always trails off like that when you're not sure of yourself. Quit doing that. You are a very talented actress and they want you for this part. Very, very, badly, in fact."

Annelise attempted a small smile, "Thanks, Penny. But I don't have your looks."

Penny agreed with her wholeheartedly, "No, your look is different than mine. You have the same kind of beauty that Nik does. With the both of you, most people don't notice it at first, but then it hits them like a ton of lead."

Anna giggled as she added, "Her beauty sure hit Sheldon hard."

Penny gave a loud laugh as she replied, "I'll say! After his first wife died, we thought he'd never look at another woman. But then along came Nikita Horner and all that changed. Say, I've never asked you this. How did you meet Helmut?"

Annelise closed her eyes and began to reminisce, "He took a theater arts class that I was enrolled in as an elective at the university. Our eyes met across the lecture hall and the rest, as they say, is history." She opened her eyes and turned to her seatmate, "Helmut is so brilliant and so accomplished, I sometimes feel kind of 'slow' around him. Can you understand that?"

Penny's eyes got a faraway look in them as she answered, "Only too well. But Leonard thinks he's 'less than' compared to me when it comes to looks and social skills. It all balances out, I guess."

Annelise mused, "I wonder if Sheldon feels that way around Niki."

At that, Penny howled, "Are you kidding? Sheldon's always thought he was the shit. He just wonders about the inferiority of the rest of us."

"Even his wife?"

The pretty blonde shook her head, "No, not her. Nik is one of the very few people Sheldon considers his equal. And he'd better. She'd have his nuts for lunch if he didn't. She loves the guy, trust me, but she doesn't put up with much of his bull."

The smaller woman gave a sigh and asked, "No, she doesn't seem like the type who would. She's very intelligent, isn't she?"

"Yeah, but not like Sheldon. I mean, yeah, she's super smart, but she's also really good with social skills and she likes a lot of things besides science. I'd say…let me see…Niki's a lot more well rounded than her husband. Let's leave it at that."

Annelise gave a little chuckle as she announced, "I guess we'll have to. I believe we have arrived at the producer's office."

Penny turned to her friend and gave her a cheeky grin, "That we have. Well, girl, let's go in and seal the deal. Then we'll get some lunch at a great bbq place that Leonard and I used to go to a lot when I was in a play around here."

Annelise agreed and announced, "Let's do this and then get some lunch."

 **Opening night:**

Niki Cooper uncrossed her legs and leaned forward to get a better look at the two nervous men sitting at the end of her row in the theater. For the life of her, she still failed to understand why Leonard always got anxious on Penny's opening nights. By now he knew full well that his wife was an exceptionally gifted actress and that she would wow the critics once again. On the other hand, Helmut had every reason to be concerned, his wife had never had the lead in a major American production before, and Annelise had only had ten days to learn her lines. But Leonard? Maybe it was just love that fueled his nerves. She knew that few men loved their wife as much as Leonard loved Penny. Even Sheldon, as devoted as he was, possessed an unspoken confidence in most of her endeavors, especially when they concerned either research or teaching. Niki couldn't imagine Sheldon getting nervous right before any of her lectures or presentations.

Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke softly into her ear, "You'd think by now, Leonard would have some faith in his wife's abilities as an actress. Look at him, he can barely sit still in his seat."

"I know. I noticed the same thing. But you know Leonard, he's always been the worrywart kind."

"So true. Helmut seems a bit on edge, also. But his angst I can understand. His wife has not had much preparation time for this part she's playing. How do you think she'll do?"

"Let me tell you something, Schatze. In everyday situations, Annelise can come off as a little timid and unsure of herself. But when it's showtime, that lady is a lion. I can still remember how she helped us get out of that captive situation in Heidelberg. No, Sheldon, she will be fine. Most likely even better than fine."

"I sincerely hope so. Good reviews of her work may keep her and Helmut out here longer, and that benefits our facility."

"Does that mean you like Helmut's work so far?"

"When we get home, I will let you peruse some of his research and then you tell me."

"Deal." Niki then put a finger to her lips and ended their conversation with, "Shhh… The curtain's going up."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Two hours later, after the third curtain call, Niki saw Leonard and Helmut shared a thankful, proud, look between them. She smiled to herself in relief and gazed at the two men fondly. Their wives were two of her best friends and their husbands were included in her heart fondness.

Sheldon leaned in to his wife and softly commented, "Annelise is a most exceptional actress. She interacted magnificently on the stage with Penny."

Niki countered that with, "Yeah, but Penny was top notch, too!" She then turned from Sheldon to the two husbands and called out, "Leonard, Helmut, your wives were amazing!"

Bernadette, who had been sitting with Howard behind Niki and Sheldon, added an enthusiastic, "They sure were! I think this is Penny's best effort yet. Her and Annelise are magic together!"

Backstage was the usual bedlam as reporters tried to get interviews with both women. They were their usual entranced selves with Penny as her beauty and wit both seemed to improve as she aged. But Annelise proved to have an unexpected charm, her self-effacing demeanor, slight German accent that lilted at the end of her phrases, and her large blue eyes enthralled them all and that night's theater reviews praised the pairing of Penny and Annelise and clamored for more.

As their entire group was seated at a late-night restaurant to celebrate the evening, Leonard got a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and announced to everyone, "Here the evening is almost over and I seemed to have forgotten something very important." In response to everyone's quizzical looks, he reached deep into his jacket pocket and produced a small, beautifully wrapped, package. "This is for you," he told his wife as he gently placed the gift in her open hand.

Sheldon happily interrupted the couple with, "Oh, I know what that must be, every time Penny is in a new play…"

"Sheldon, shush!" Niki mildly rebuked him, "you're going to spoil the moment!"

The lanky physicist seemed to hold no ill will at his wife's scolding and happily responded, "Sorry. My bad." To which the entire table roared in laugher.

Leonard then addressed his wife, "Penny, you mean the world to me. Your decision to try acting again has brought nothing but happiness to both of us. I have to say this before anyone else does. I'm always blown away by your acting ability, but this may have been your best effort yet. Something beyond magic happened on that stage tonight, and I think it has to do with the two of you," he gave a nod to Annelise, "working together. It was amazing. You two should collaborate more often."

Penny responded by giving her husband a level look, trying to hide both her smile and the tears in her eyes, and failing at both. She then asked him, "Can I open this thing now?"

Leonard grinned broadly at her and responded with, "You better. Do you know how hard it was to get the alterations to the design changed in just a few days?"

Penny gave a hearty laugh, then ripped the wrapping off the small, velvet, box and removed the lid. There, nestled on a bed of the softest silk, lay a gold charm in the shape of the letter S. "Oh, Leonard! You remembered! I can't wait to add this one to my bracelet."

At the puzzled looks given to them by Helmut and Annelise, Leonard explained, "Every time Penny begins a new play, t.v. show, or movie, I give her a charm, shaped like the initial of her character's name, for a bracelet I bought her a few years ago. This charm was the letter B, but I had to change it to S when her and Anna swapped roles. Which was an interesting and fortuitous occurrence." He then put a loving arm around his wife, "Thank god you told me about it early enough for me to get that done."

At his words, Penny chirped happily, "And you did real good!"

Sheldon leaned in close to his wife and whispered in her ear, "Looks like someone is going to have coitus tonight."

Niki responded by tracing a sensuous heart on her husband's pant leg and whispering back, "Hey, you can't let your friend be the only one who gets some action."

"What, it's a competition?""

Sort of. And you can't let Leonard win this one. I mean, you know Helmut and Anna are going to celebrate tonight's success carnally, and Leonard and Penny are a sure thing to do the horizontal tango. As for Bernie and Howard, well, Bernie's had a few drinks and you know that always leads to Howard getting lucky. As for me, you're lookin' mighty good in that suit, sir. Makes a woman think nasty thoughts."

Sheldon pulled Niki even closer to his and kissed her sweetly and passionately. He then nuzzled her neck and replied, "Nothing nasty about it at all! In fact, I rather like it. We're lucky your mother has Lori for the night."

Penny suddenly called out, "Hey, you two! Get a room!"

After the laughs had subsided, Sheldon answered her with, "At the earliest possible convenience." He then surveyed the room, "Now, where's our waiter with the checks?"

 **Looks like the evening ended on a positive note for all the couples. Now, what's next? I suppose a couple of babies are on the way, aren't they?**


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57: An Issue of Trust

 **The best marriages are built on love, patience, and trust, as Sheldon and Niki are soon to learn.**

It was late March and Niki Cooper sat tensely at her dining room table, staring intently at her computer screen with a deeply furrowed brow. To herself, she muttered, _"Damn! This would happen now! Life, this time you really threw a massive monkey wrench into the works."_

From the other side of the dining room wall, a concerned voice called out, "Is something wrong with either you or the baby?"

Niki addressed the man in the living room in a soft, calm voice, eager to calm his fears and concerns, "No, Sheldon. The baby and I are just fine. But I wish I could say the same about my computer."

At her words, Sheldon planted a kiss on his daughter's head, put her on the floor along with a colorful picture book, and hurried to the dining room. "What seems to be the problem, Niki?"

"I'm not really sure. I think I picked up a virus somewhere, but I'm not sure how that happened. I have loads of virus protection programs running on this thing."

He stood behind her and looked at the nonresponsive laptop with no small amount of interes, "Have you visited any suspicious sights?"

"Oh sure, Cooper. I just downloaded some porn this morning. Get real! This is my work computer. I only use this laptop for research and for prepping for the video conferences I'll be having with the class at Stanford. I don't know what's wrong with the darn thing."

"Well, could you kindly tell me what it's doing? Perhaps I can help."

Niki let out an exasperated sigh and explained, "It boots up just fine, but I can't get on the internet at all. I also can't run Skype or any of my video conferencing programs. I'm just stuck looking at my home screen."

Sheldon leaned even closer and reached out towards the machine, "Do you mind if I take a look at it?"

Niki got up from her seat, leaving it vacant for her husband, "Not at all, but hurry. I have to send some documents to the Stanford science department in forty-five minutes."

Sheldon fiddled with the laptop for a few minutes while Niki played with Lori in the living room. In about ten minutes, he stuck his head around the corner and motioned for her to join him in the dining room.

"Did you find what's wrong with it?" Niki asked eagerly.

Her husband shook his head sadly, "Unfortunately, no. There seems to be some sort of problem with a part of the hardware. My best guess is that it could either be your wifi card or your internal modem that's malfunctioning."

"Can you find out and fix it in forty-five minutes?"

Sheldon let out a condescending breath, rolled his eyes and replied testily, "No, Niki. That would be a bit of a stretch. I could look at it tonight, uninstall all your programs, find what is not working, fix it, reinstall all your programs, and have it running by tomorrow morning sometime…maybe."

Niki threw him a worried look, "Would I lose all of my research and lecture notes?"

Sheldon answered her without looking up from the laptop screen, "Where have you saved them?" Just on your hard drive? Then there's a good chance you might."

"No. I've also put everything on the cloud."

"You're good then. You should be up and running by tomorrow afternoon at the latest."

Niki's face filled with relief and she asked her husband, "Great. Hey, can I borrow your laptop to send Stanford my lecture outline and notes? I promised I would get them to the science department for review in less than an hour.""

Sheldon's answer was immediate and terse, "No."

Niki eyes narrowed dangerously as she spat out, "Whaddaya mean, 'no'?"

"I mean no. Niki, it's a simple word. It means I answered your question negatively. No."

Niki's eyes now turned molten as she responded in a voice dripping with acid, "Would you care to explain why?"

"I lend my laptop to no one."

His wife now spoke in very clipped words, "I'm not no one. I'm your wife."

Sheldon used his 'talking to a child voice' that she hated as he replied, "I understand that. I haven't forgotten. Do you think I've suddenly gone daft? I know full well who you are."

"Then why can't I borrow your laptop?"

His voice now sounded agitated as he answered her, "For the simple reason that I don't trust anyone but myself with it. That's why."

Niki's mouth fell open and she stared at Sheldon unbelievingly, "I'm your wife, you trust me to carry and raise our children, but you don't trust me with your laptop."

Sheldon now sounded completely annoyed, "Don't play silly semantics games with me, Niki. I trust you completely. But not with my computer."

With that, Niki stormed out of the dining room hurriedly, grabbed her purse and headed for the front door of their home, stopping just long enough to place a kiss on Lori's cheek and say, "Mommy will be home in a couple of hours. I trust you and Daddy will be fine while I'm gone."

As Sheldon came racing out of the dining room and Lori waved a happy bye-bye, Niki ran out of the house, slamming the door behind her. She raced down the walkway that led from the Cooper home, past the pool and cabana, and up to the Hofstadter residence. Niki stopped dead in her tracks when she saw that the house was dark. _'Where are they?'_ she wondered to herself. _'Where could Penny and Leonard be tonight? They didn't say that they had any major plans.'_

Then it hit her. It was Wednesday night and Wednesday, for as long as she'd known the Hofstadters and Sheldon, was Halo night. Of course! Tonight, all their male friends were at the Comic Book Store instead of Raj's house. That is where the guys had moved their Halo game while Raj was gone. Somewhere in the back of her mind loomed the question of why Sheldon was not with his friends, but her anger at him was not allowing that thought to reach its full fruition. Instead, Niki tried to figure out where Penny could be, and then realized her bestie was most likely at Howard and Bernadette's house, where the two women would be having a girl's night while Howard was out playing Halo.

Instead of continuing on to the Hofstadter's, Niki raced for her car and quickly headed down the driveway and to the other side of Altadena, where Bernie and Howard lived _. I need to talk to someone or I'm going to burst. Usually Penny is just that person, but when I feel like slapping my husband across the face, Bernie is my go-to friend._

As she pulled in to the driveway of the Wollowitz home, Niki parked her car and took a deep breath. She most certainly did not want to barge inside Bernie and Howard's house looking like a crazed woman, though that was close to how she felt. After taking several deep breaths to calm herself and fixing her hair, Niki exited her car and approached the front door of the house.

Inside, Penny and Bernie were seated on the couch in the living room, looking and laughing at some old photos they had found in a box in one of the closets.

Penny pointed to one of the pictures and began to laugh hysterically, "Oh my God! Look at this picture taken at your wedding! The look on your face here is priceless!"

"Yeah, that's when Sheldon began his speech in Klingon. I was so mad at him! He promised me NO KLINGON!"

The two women's conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

Penny looked towards the front door, "I wonder who that is?"

Bernie took a look at the surveillance screen up on the wall, which showed their front porch, "It looks like it's Niki. What's she doing here?"

Penny found it hard to keep a straight face as she answered, "She has the same look on her face that you did in that picture. Looks like the Wackadoodle has struck again!"

Bernie turned to Penny and snapped, "How do you know it's Sheldon she's angry at?"

"Well, for one, she's been home with Sheldon and Lori all evening. Now, that girl is patience personified with her kid, so who does that leave?"

On cue, as Bernie opened the door, Niki burst in crying, "I'll kill the son-of-a-bitch! I swear I will!"

Penny looked at her friend's still-disheveled hair and fiery eyes and asked her, "You would be talking about your better half, I take it?"

"Better half my ass! Do you know what that man said to me?"

Penny couldn't hide the grin that began to spread across her face, "Let's see…something inappropriate and rage inducing?"

At that, Bernie commented acidly, "Didn't have to try too hard for that one, did ya?"

Penny made a motion with her hand, "Bernie, stop. Nik's really upset."

Niki turned to her friends and began her rant, "You bet your butt I am! My laptop broke down and I asked to borrow Sheldon's to send my lecture notes to Stanford. Do you know what he told me?

Both women chimed in at the same time, "Sure. He said no."

Niki immediately looked deflated, "You knew what he said?"

"Of course. Sheldon has never allowed anyone to use his laptop. Ever. Especially since that time _someone_ wiped out all his saved documents while using it."

Penny tried to mount a feeble defense, "Hey, it wasn't intentional. How was I to know what would happen when I hit the wrong key?"

Niki stared at her bestie, "Wait, you lost all of his data?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

Bernie explained further, "And it was just before he was going to make an important presentation at a physics convention in Las Vegas."

Niki looked from one of the women to the other and then took a calculated guess at the rest of the story, "Let me see if I can reconstruct this scenario. Sheldon's up for a big award, he's competing against other top scientists in the field. Just before he leaves his hotel room, Penny asks if she can use his laptop for 'just a second'."

Bernie nodded, "So far, so good."

"And, let's see…Penny was more than a little bit tipsy."

"Bingo!" Bernie crowed.

Penny attempted to defend herself with a weak, "Hey, I wasn't that drunk."

Niki rolled her eyes and replied, "You obliterated all the man's documents."

The pretty blonde dropped all pretense at innocence and confessed, "Okay, so maybe I was…a little."

"Okay, and I'm willing to bet my honeybunch didn't win that award."

Bernie seemed to take great enjoyment at Penny's discomfort, so she added, "No. But that's not all."

"Oh, I can see it now… Sheldon was nervous, took a couple of stiff drinks to give himself some courage, and he ended up in the same state as Penny, only in front of a group of esteemed colleagues."

"Bingo again!" By this time, Bernie was laughing so hard she fell on to the couch.

Niki's eyes went wide, "Oh geeze! Now I see why he doesn't let anyone touch the damn thing. It's not that he doesn't trust me with his things, he just has a very bad association with lending his laptop to anyone."

Penny nodded sadly as she replied, "That about sums it up, yeah."

"Okay. I know what I need to do now."

Bernie looked up at her excitedly, "Go home and kill him?"

Niki smiled and shook her head, "No, Bernie. I'm going to go home and make peace with the man. I really didn't give him a chance to explain his reasons to me. I'm still upset, but I think Sheldon and I can work this out. Oh, Bernie, can I use your laptop for a couple of minutes first? I need to send some important documents to Stanford. Oh, and I'm stone cold sober, too."

Penny's voice held both shame and hurt and she responded to her friend's words, "Rub it in, Nik. Rub it in."

Ten minutes later, Niki left the Wollowitz residence and headed home. Not ten seconds after she had closed the front door behind her, Blake Hofstadter came toddling out of one of the bedrooms, his blankie in hand, and asked his mother, "Mommy? What's a sumbich?"

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Ten minutes after she had left the Wollowitz house, Niki pulled into the long driveway of her home and followed it until its end. There, she left the car and stared at her own home, perplexed. First, her mother's car was sitting next to hers, which Niki found odd. She didn't remember either her or Sheldon inviting her mother over to their house. Second, her house was completely dark, which was unusual as it was only nine p.m. and they usually stayed up until at least eleven. Still Niki continued to cautiously make her way to her front door. As she walked, the idea came to her in a flash, _'Oh, I know what's going on! Sheldon went to join the guys at the Comic Book Store and he called my mother to watch Lori. That makes complete sense. I was upset and went to talk to my friends. Sheldon has the same right to go seek out his friends. He even gets to play Halo with them instead of looking at some old photographs from a wedding I never attended. Lucky guy!'_

Suddenly, the floodlights surrounding the pool came alive and enveloped the area in a soft, yellow glow. Out of the shadows, Sheldon Cooper emerged, dressed in the blue suit he knew was Niki's favorite. Niki noticed a form emerging from the darkness and gave a loud gasp. Then she saw it was only her husband, wearing his sexy blue suit and a warm smile. She greeted him with, "Sheldon! You scared me."

Sheldon's smile disappeared as he replied, "I'm so sorry, Freckles. I merely wanted to surprise you. I guess I got it wrong once more."

At that, Niki headed toward her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck, "No, Schatze. I got it wrong. I never gave you the chance to explain why you were so opposed to sharing your laptop. I apologize."

A small grin appeared on his face as he asked her, "Did Penny tell you the story?"

"No. It was Bernie."

"Ahh. Yes. She _would_ love sharing a story about people when they were not at their best."

Niki giggled, "It's part of her charm. Anyway, I'm so sorry I ran out on you. I was wrong."

Sheldon kissed the top of her head, "No, I was the one in the wrong. You are my wife. You have never let me down or disappointed me. I should have made an exception for someone who has been so good to me."

"That works both ways, my dear. I should have known you had a good reason for acting as you did. I failed to trust you and your reasoning."

Sheldon murmured into his wife's hair, a faraway look in his eyes, "You know, Niki. I was so sad and lonely when I met you. I thought I'd never love anyone again after Amy died. She was truly my soul mate. And then I found you. Oh, I fought my feelings for a long time after I met you, but then I realized something very profound."

Niki snuggled closer against his chest and made the observation, "That a person can have more than one soul mate in a lifetime?"

Sheldon's face brightened, "That's it! You understand the feelings I had at that time."

"Of course I do! My feelings were very close to the same ones you were having. I never thought I would love someone again as much as I loved Paul. Guess what? I was wrong."

Sheldon loosened his hold on his wife, drew her face close to his, and kissed her quickly. He then hugged her tightly and added, "It seems we both were wrong. I have met two remarkable women in my life and I have loved them both as much as I possibly could. I do love you, Niki. And our daughter. And our coming child. I am a man who has been richly blessed."

Niki's words were both soft and heartfelt in her reply, "Oh, Cooper. I'm the one who's been blessed. I have a most amazing husband, a great life and professional career, and almost two wonderful children. A woman can ask for no more than that."

A mischievous grin crossed Sheldon's face as her told her, "Yes she can."

Niki looked up at him, confused, "Wait…what more could I ask for?"

"A little romance. No, a great deal of romance. Women need that. No, I stand corrected…we all need that from time to time. So…."

Niki drew back from his embrace and asked, "Okay, Sheldon. What's up?"

He merely beckoned to her and said, "Follow me."

"Why does it seem I'm always taking your hand while your leading me somewhere?"

Sheldon's face grew tender at the remembrance of a very special day, "Ah yes, shades of the Magic Kingdom!"

Niki was pleased that he had remembered their first time at Disneyland, "Our first night together."

"But far from the last. Please, take my hand." And with that, Sheldon unlocked the gate of the fence that surrounded the pool and led Niki towards the cabana.

"Sheldon, what's up?" Niki asked in a confused voice.

"You'll soon see, in more ways than one." With that, Sheldon opened the cabana door and closed it behind them. He then took her in his arms once more and kissed her in a way that left little doubt as to his intentions.

"Oh, now I see what's up! Niki joked and then, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she spied something on the low table in the middle of the room. Hey, what's that? Sheldon, it's a new laptop!"

Sheldon sat his wife down on the bed and explained to her between kisses, "I was going to give that to you on your birthday, which is in a few days if I'm not mistaken. But it seemed to me that the events of this evening called for you to receive it tonight."

Niki melted back in to her husband's arms as she cooed, "Oh, Cooper! I love you so much!"

He asked her wickedly, "Are you willing to show me?"

"Lock the door behind us and you'll see."

With that, Sheldon locked the cabana door and all sorts of wonderful, loving things began to happen between the two of them.

Penny Hofstadter, having gotten home in time to take in most of the Cooper tableau, looked on from the window of her kitchen, smiled, then exclaimed to no one but herself, "Score another one for the Wackadoodle!"

 **Life is about learning, isn't it? Sometimes we learn things from books and lectures, and sometimes we learn through our experiences. As long as we keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open, there is no limit to what we can learn.**


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58: D.C. Bound

 **So sorry it has been so long without an update. Work got crazier and our new manager fired all but four of us and we were all relocated to other departments and had crash courses in learning to manage both the departments and the new employees. It's been hell, but I kept on writing a little bit at a time. Here is the next installment of this story. I hope you enjoy it.**

As the Binary jet raced down the runway, picking up speed at an amazing rate, Niki Cooper closed her eyes and felt a hand stealing into each of hers. One large and one small. She gave a small smile to herself as the thought coursed through her mind that she was needed by her small family, on take-offs and landings if nothing else. Neither Lori nor Sheldon said a word to her as their hands grasped hers ever tighter as the plane left the runway and headed into the sky.

Niki looked across the aisle at the Hofstadters. Leonard and Penny were having a good laugh over something they had come across in the magazine they bought before boarding, while Blake kept himself busy with a coloring book. She gave a long sigh, she knew that neither Sheldon nor Lori would ever be relaxed enough during a takeoff to either share a magazine with her or laugh at its contents. Still, it could have been worse. From what she had been told about her husband's earlier days, they would have been stuck in a train for several days getting to Washington, D.C. At least now Sheldon flew, albeit reluctantly.

Suddenly, Niki's eyes went wide and her face began to beam. She took her husband's hand, which was clinging tightly to hers, and placed it on her abdomen, smiling broadly as she did so. "Sheldon," she whispered in awe, "our little prince or princess just began to kick."

Her husband, forgetting his usual fear at takeoff, ran his hand over her belly and gently cooed, "Well hello, little Cooper. You don't know me yet, but I'm your father and I can't wait to meet you."

Lori looked across her mother at her father and wailed, "But what about me?"

Both of her parents looked at her with love in their eyes as Sheldon responded with, "It's because you have been so wonderful and have brought such love into our lives that we are excited to meet your new brother or sister. You, Princess, have shown me and your mother just how wonderful it is to have children. You, Lori, are our first child, and no one can ever change that. You will always be very special to us. You will always be the oldest and first and that is very, very, special."

As Niki looked on with tears in her eyes at her husband's words, Lori beamed over at him and asked, "Weally, DaDa?"

"But of course. Who else is going to show the new baby our house, and teach them all the things you know? No one but you can do it, Princess."

"I know, DaDa, and I'll be a gweat big sisser. Won't I, Mommy?"

"Of course, Lori. No one will ever be able to do that better." Niki looked over at her precious daughter and couldn't resist asking her, "Tell me, sweetheart, do you want a brother or a sister?"

"A bwother. I wanna be DaDa's only Pwincess."

As both her parents erupted in laughter, Leonard and Penny looked over at the Coopers curiously. They both had never seen either Sheldon or Lori laugh on a plane ride until cruising altitude had been reached. This was a first and they both wondered what had brought the bought of mirth about.

As Penny was about to question her friends about the laughter, Niki felt a gentle tap on her shoulder from behind and the voice of Mary Cooper asking, "Girl, what were ya'll talkin' about to make Shelly laugh while the plane was takin' off?"

"Oh, it was something Lori said. It was really funny. She informed us she wants no competition for being Sheldon's Princess. She made darn sure we both knew she wanted a brother, not a sister."

"Well if that don't beat all. She's a smart little thing, isn't she?"

Niki couldn't help but grin widely and answer, "Oh yes. And she has Sheldon wrapped completely around her little finger. And me, also, if I must be honest."

"Count me in that company, too. She's sure captured her grandma's heart, that's for sure. And Alfred feesl just the same way about that little man sitting over there. He's quite the boy. I can't wait until he joins us tomorrow in D.C."

Niki looked over at Blake Hofstadter and smiled, "Yes, he is at that. Leonard and Penny got very lucky with Blake. He's such and angel, and cute as a button, too!"

"Are you two talking about my son?" Penny asked good naturedly. "Because if you are, I hope it's all good."

Mary was quick to respond, "Don't you be worryin' about that, Penny. There ain't nothing bad to say about Blake. He's got your looks and his father's brains."

A voice from in back of the Hofstadters called out, "You know full well that Leonard received his intelligence from his father and me. And, of course, he passed it down to his own son."

Sheldon's mother couldn't resist a jab, for old time's sake if nothing else, "I still haven't figured out where Leonard got his good looks. It sure wasn't from you, Bev. It musta been Alfred."

Niki gave her mother-in-law a sharp reprimand, "Mary! That will be enough."

Mary sought to placate Niki by patting her on the shoulder and explaining, "I was just joshin' with Bev. I really didn't mean it. "

Beverly Hofstadter couldn't resist a return barb, "I'm sure Mary says many things she doesn't mean. That's what religion is all about."

Mary was about to fire back when Niki interrupted her, "Look out the window, everyone! We've reached cruising altitude. That means we can get up and walk around the plane as we wish. Mary, why don't you and Beverly go into the kitchen and share a drink or two. That always seems to mellow the both of you out."

Mary's feature's immediately softened as she replied to her daughter-in-law, "Now that's a real good idea, Niki. Come on, Bev. Maybe there's some cold beer in the refrigerator."

Beverly rose to join her, adding, "Or some chilled reisling. Come, let's check it out the offerings in the kitchen. Your daughter-in-law had an excellent idea."

When they had left the area, Penny gave a sigh and addressed no one in particular, "Whew! Another crisis diverted."

Sheldon responded to her with a resigned note in his voice, "At least until we tell them we will all be staying at the Watergate Hotel. I'm quite sure we will get differing opinions on that from both our mothers, Leonard."

Leonard shot back sarcastically, "Gee, I can't wait to see their reactions to that little piece of news!"

Niki got up from her seat to stretch her legs and answered her husband in what she hoped was a humorous tone, "Let's just keep that 'little piece of news' to ourselves for a bit, shall we? I've just about used of all of my 'peace making ju ju' for a little while."

Hours later, after the plane had landed, the party collected their luggage and met the car that was hired to take them to the hotel.

Mary's eyes narrowed when she saw the vehicle sent to pick them up, "Shelly, they sent us a limo? What did any of us besides you and Lenny do to deserve that?"

"Mother, this is most likely standard operating procedure for this event. Also, counting the children, there are eight of us in this party. Niki and me, Leonard and Penny, you and Beverly, and Lori and Blake. That is eight people, am I not correct? I doubt they could send a sedan that would hold all of us and our baggage, unless they sent a SUV, and, somehow, that does not seem fitting for the occasion."

Mary, do not question her son's logic and Beverly added, "If they sent a limo, let us just enjoy the ride to the hotel. Leonard, where are we staying, by the way?"

Leonard, Sheldon, and their wives all exchanged and uncomfortable look and it was Leonard who replied, "Actually, Mom, they are putting us all up in the Watergate Hotel."

Beverly's voice was calm and to-the-point, "I see. I find that most amusing."

Mary's reaction was the complete opposite, "What in the world do you find so amusing about that? That hotel was the scene of a presidential scandal!"

Beverly continued on in the same tone as before, "What is amusing to me, Mary, is that a hotel that was the scene of such a nefarious undertaking is now hosting an event that is honoring our sons' scientific accomplishments. The hotel has gone from a sight of shame to one of pride, at least for Leonard and Sheldon."

Lori and Blake tugged at their mothers' sleeves and Blake asked, "Can't they stop fighting so we can get inna car?"

"Yeah," Lori added, "I wanna eat. I'm hungwy. Big people can fight later."

"From the mouth's of babes, Bev. I think they're right. You and me can continue this discussion later. Right now, let's get in the limo and get these little ones situated in their rooms."

Niki's face broke out into a wide smile as she surveyed the scene taking place in front of her, "They grow up so fast!"

Sheldon pulled his wife closer and added, "Yes, before we know it, they'll both be starting school."

His wife corrected him with a smirk on her face, "Oh, I wasn't talking about the kids."

At that, Penny gave a loud whoop of laughter and began to help her son into the limo, "C'mon you guys. Let's get going. I can't wait to see what our hotel rooms look like. Plus, I'm with Lori. A bite to eat from room service sounds real good to me right now. That plane had nothing but beer, wine, cheese, and crackers on it. Not much there for two pregnant ladies to eat. Crackers don't go far on an empty stomach of a lady with child."

Leonard added, "Nor a grown man's. Sheldon, as soon as we unpack, let's order some real food from the hotel."

Sheldon looked puzzled for a moment, "But cheese and crackers are real food…Oh, I get it. Yes, I suppose that would be the right move to make." He turned to his daughter and informed her, "Princess, DaDa and Uncle Leonard are going to get us all some food while Mommy and Aunt Penny make our rooms comfortable for us all. Does that sound good to you?

Lori called over her shoulder to her father as she scrambled to join the Hofstadter's son in the Limo, "Weal good. Now, I want to sit next to Bwake."

Niki chuckled and turned to Penny, "I think your son has replaced Sheldon as her favorite seat partner."

"Preposturous! No one will ever supercede me in my daugher's affections."

Niki gave an eye roll and responded sarcastically, "Of course not, Honey. She will never go to school and meet boys, fall in love, get married, and have her own children."

"Sarcasm?" he asked hesitantly.

Penny raced past him calling out, "You betcha. Now, let's get this show on the road. Last one in the limo is a rotten egg!"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Later that evening, Sheldon and Niki were busy laying out their outfits for the next day's ceremony. Niki gave Sheldon a lascivious grin as she saw him remove from his clothing bag, the same suit of black tails and braided pants he had worn when they had accepted their Nobel Prizes.

Niki nodded at her husband's choice of suit approvingly, "I'm glad you're wearing that one, Sheldon. As I recall, you looked mighty good in it in Sweden, almost good enough to eat."

Sheldon took his wife into his arms and began to nuzzle her neck, "And I'm glad we've gotten the children a room of their own, between ours and the Hofstadters. That will afford us some degree of privacy, which may come in handy in a few minutes."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Niki answered him breathlessly.

"Well, the children are asleep, we are alone, and you know I find you extremely alluring when you are pregnant."

Niki began to trace sensuous circles on her husband's chest, "How you do go on! What did you have in mind sir?"

Sheldon grabbed her hand and gently tugged at it as he headed toward the bathroom, "Follow me into the shower and I will show you exactly what I have in mind."

Niki gave his behind a flirty spank, "Cooper, you are so bad!"

"And you are not?"

Niki laughed out loud and then proceeded to tell him as she linked her arm with his, "I didn't say that. Come on, let's get into that shower before the kids wake up or Penny comes barging through the door."

Sheldon stopped in his tracks and mused, "Do you remember our first time. How it all started in the shower?"

Niki's hands began to explore his body intimately, "Do I ever! Want to recreate a little history?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Twenty-four hours later found the Cooper family sitting with Leonard, Penny, and Blake, Mary and Alfred Hofstadter, and Beverly Simmons. Since Sheldon and Niki's marriage, Leonard's mother had done two things inconsistent with her usual behavior; she had gotten married to Roger Simmons in a heat of passion and she had taken his last name as her own. As Roger was on a lecture tour of Europe that spring, he was regretfully absent from the evening's ceremony, but Beverly had purposefully made room on her busy schedule to attend this award ceremony. What Leonard had always hoped for had come to pass, his mother was immensely proud of him.

Niki looked over at the assembled group of friends and relatives as her mind began to wander. She realized that slightly more than three years ago, she had known not one of these people and now they were all near and dear to her heart. Her best friends Penny and Leonard Hofstadter, who were also the best friends of Sheldon, were sitting close to them, as they always were on any social occasion.

Sheldon's mother, Mary was also there with her husband who was Leonard's father. It was all so very convoluted from an outside viewpoint, but the pairings made complete sense to everyone in their group. Alfred was content and happy with Mary, as was Bevery with Roger. Niki gave a small shrug and decided to accept their little group as they were and not delve much deeper into the myriad couples it contained.

As the speaker for the evening bored everyone to tears with his rambling pre-award speech, Niki turned her attention to the assembled dignitaries and scientists who made up the majority of the audience. She knew that most of them viewed her husband as a condescending, aloof, but brilliant physicist who, while fully deserving of this award, was not high on their list of favorite people. Their feelings for Sheldon were very unlike those they held for the co-winner of the award, Leonard, who was loved and admired by most in the scientific community.

A amall grin turned up the corners of her mouth as she ruminated about the Sheldon Cooper she knew and that so many of the people in the audience did not. They had never witnessed the Dr. Sheldon Cooper who had insisted on bringing all of his friends with them before they started their new endeaver in Altadena. There was a loyalty in Sheldon that was seldom seen by anyone but his closest friends and family, but it was a loyalty that was immensely strong and never wavered. The aloof, condescending Sheldon Cooper did indeed exist, but he existed alongside the doting DaDa who found some his fondest moments coloring fanciful pictures with his young daughter while both were splayed out on the living room floor, or perching Lori on his shoulders to give her exciting 'horsey rides' Cooper style. The biting sarcasm and dry wit of Dr. Cooper was often juxtaposed with the endearing mannerisms of her beloved Schatze, who left her love notes on her pillow and religiously insisted on a weekly date night away from their daughter so they were able to, as he so succinctly put it, 'keep the romance alive'. Niki also knew the cool reserve of the renowned physicist was in direct contrast with the fun loving friend who found great joy playing paint ball and rollerblading with his wife and friends. The almost narcistic public qualities of Dr. Sheldon Cooper were nowhere to be seen when he saw it fit to lavish no small amount of genuine affection and love on his closest friends and family, though they, and only they, were allowed to see it.

Niki's smile grew as she patted her now rounded abdomen and thought how lucky and blessed she was to be carrying yet another life created in one of the many loving moments between herself and the multi-dimensional Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper. Niki reached out for her husband's hand and gave it a loving squeeze. Shedlon looked over at his wife and saw the love and contentment etched upon her face and felt relieved. Niki always had his back, as he tried to have hers. She was far more skilled at it, but he was learning the art of reciprocal love by observing his wife, so he gave her hand a return squeeze and placed his hand lovingly on top of the other one resting on her advancing pregnancy. The longer he was married to Niki, the more he understood about the necessity to both give and receive affection among friends, family, and loved ones. He had learned most of these lessons slowly, and they had started developing back in his days with Amy, but each year of his life, he had found himself better able to both give and receive love. To Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper, these lessons were just as important to him, maybe even moreso, than any scientific breakthrough he had made or award he had been given.

Suddenly, the speaker's voice cut into both of their thoughts as he emerged from his droning preamble to announce, "So, it is with great respect and honor that I announce the winners of this year's J. Prize for Theoretical Partical Physics, Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper and Dr. Leonard Leakey Hofstadter. Gentlemen, congratulations on this recognition of your groundbreaking work on superfluid vacuum theory. It is more than well deserved. Would you two gentlemen please come up to the podium and receive your prize?"

As their husbands made their way up to the stage, their wives had two completely different reactions. Penny had to fight her hardest not to give a loud whoop and a fist pump, while Niki fought back tears of pride. They both had a real fear of giving people viewing social media something to focus on and gossip about. As it was, they both retained their composure and merely clapped enthusiastically. When the pair reached the podium, Sheldon did something so uncharacteristic of him that it caused everyone who knew him, and some who didn't, a moment of pause. He gave the merest hint of a smile and handed the mic to his best friend, Leonard Hofstadter, who gazed up at his friend quizzically before finally taking the mic and beginning his acceptance speech.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," he began, "I don't know what I am most amazed about. It could be that I have won this prestigious award with my best friend and collaborator, Dr. Cooper. Or, it could be that Sheldon has surrendered the floor to me. Either one is an event almost entirely beyond my comprehension." As the audience erupted in gleeful laughter, Leonard continued, "Dr. Cooper, my colleague, is beyond one of the world's most distinguished and accomplished physicists, he is also my best friend and godfather to my son. I have a few very good friends in my life and believe it or not, Sheldon is the one closest to my heart. He has always been there for me, in his own unique way, and I feel extremely privileged to share this prize with him. Now, if he won't be too upset, I give you Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper." With those words, Leonard handed the mic to Sheldon with a broad grin on his face.

For his part, Sheldon began to speak almost reluctantly at first, and then with more confidence and happiness as his speech continued. "Thank you for your more than kind introduction, Dr. Hofstadter. Let me begin by saying the idea for our superfluid vacuum theory was originally thought of by Leonard. I just worked out some of the proofs to ensure his idea was viable. When I had done that, Dr. Hofstadter insisted I include my name alongside his on the submitted paperwork. So, to make a long story short, in a nutshell, the concept of the superfluid vacuum was mainly Dr. Hofstadter's. I am here mainly out of the kindness of his heart and the strength of our long-standing friendship. Therefore, it is with all humility, that I return the floor to the true architect of this theory, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter."

As Leonard once again approached the podium, he took a long look at Sheldon and then turned his gaze to the audience seated at circular tables around the room. He then began to speak, "Sheldon is right, as far as he knows. The main idea for this theory came when I was attempting to explain my work to my wife. In the course of that explanation, the superfluid vacuum idea came to me in some sort of flash of inspiration. I knew what had happened, of course. Too many times I have witnessed Dr. Cooper stop in the middle of a conversation and run over to the nearest white board or pull a notepad out of nowhere and began to jot down the basis for one of his brilliant theories. In all honesty, this was the first time this had really happened to me, so I grabbed a piece of paper, jotted down my idea, and hurried to find Sheldon. I didn't trust my mathematical acumen enough to do the proofs on my own, so he aided me in that. But enough about me and Sheldon. The birth of this idea came from talking to my beautiful wife, Penny, who supports me in everything I do, whether she understands it or not. As I recall, it was Sheldon's wife, Niki, who was largely responsible for coming up with the gravitational nullification theory, which won her, Sheldon, and Dr. Rajesh Koothrapalli, their Nobel prize. What I'm saying in essence is that, both Dr. Cooper and me owe much of our success to our better halves. Without the support and influence of these two fine ladies, I truly believe neither Sheldon nor I would have been here tonight, addressing all of you and being awarded this prize." He beckoned Sheldon to join him as they accepted their awards and the prize money and they both turned to their wives and motioned for them to join them onstage. As the cameras flashed in their eyes, both men drew their wives close to them and beamed in pride.

Sheldon looked out over the crowd, then back at Leonard and made his usual pragmatic comment, "Can we now return to our meals? I was quite enjoying my steak and I fear it is growing colder every second we are up here."

As the crowd exploded in unexpected laughter, the two intrepid scientists and their wives returned to their seats amongst their families and children. As he prepared to make short work of his meal, Sheldon turned to his wife and told her, "Niki, you have stood by me through so many things. Whether it was my unconventional courting, my many exasperating idiosyncrasies, or my selfish behavior when I first got to Germany, you never abandoned me, or us. Whenever I deserved for you to leave me,I turned around and there you were, patient, understanding, and loyal. I don't know what I would have done without you these last few years."

Niki cocked her head quizzically and answered, "You would have still been exploring the physics of our universe and searching for the theory that answers all the questions about how it came to be and how it works. That has always been your passion, from way before you ever met me. I just came along and helped you in that quest. It's what love is all about. Now, finish your steak."

Across the table, Leonard was addressing his wife in much the same manner. "Penny, I don't know what the hell you see in me, but I'm awfully grateful you do. If it hadn't been for you, I would have never thought of this theory and shared it with Sheldon. So, thank you. From the bottom of my heart."

Penny placed one of her hands on his arm and told him, "Leonard, you alone, out of all the men I ever dated, cared enough to look below the surface and love the person that I am. Whether I've been drunk, delusional, selfish, kinda mean to you, no matter what, you always stood by me. That's true love and I will never forget it. Now, as Niki told Sheldon, finish your steak."

Later, both couples were dancing at the after-dinner party held in honor of the recipients. Sheldon left Niki's side briefly to speak with Leonard in a hushed tone. A broad grin began to spread across his face as he listened to his friend's idea. Leonard eagerly nodded and Sheldon stealthily approached the dj and handed him a hastily scribbled note. The man read it, smiled back at the tall man staring up at him and whispered, "No problem, sir."

Both of the wives looked at their men with furrowed brows after this exchange. Penny asked her husband, "What was that all about? I always get nervous when you look excited about one of the Whackadoodle's ideas."

Niki chimed in with, "Yeah, Cooper. What gives?"

Sheldon gave a small grin and took his wife into hold in preparation for more dancing, "I do believe you will both know in just a few moments. Trust me, it's harmless."

Penny looked over at her husband's best friend and gave him a worried look, "That's what you always say. Let's just hope that this time it's true."

As Leonard was about to answer his wife with reassuring words, the dj approached the mic and made an announcement, "This next number goes out to Penny Hofstadter and Niki Cooper, from both your husbands. They sound like two wonderful gentlemen and I hope you both enjoy their dedication of this song to the both of you."

Both Niki and Penny listened closely as the sounds of Just As I Am by Air Supply filled the room. Penny was the first to speak, "Not my usual cup of tea, but I love the sentiment. Thank you, Sweetie. How can I really show you how much I love you?"

Leonard smiled at his wife and pulled her closer, "Just dance with me, that's all."

"Hey, Sweetie, that I'll do for the rest of my life."

Meanwhile, Niki was pretty much speechless. She just hid her head in Sheldon's neck as tears filled her eyes.

Sheldon seemed perplexed at her tears, "What's the matter, Niki?

His wife shook her head and began to dance closely with him, "Nothing, Schatze, nothing at all."

Hours later, Sheldon kissed the top of Niki's head and asked her, "Did you appreciate the song? I meant every word of it."

Niki cuddled closer to her husband and whispered into his neck, "Oh Cooper, it was perfect. Just like you."

He quickly corrected her, "I am far from perfect, but I will spend the rest of my life attempting to live up to that praise." With that, they wrapped their arms around each other and quickly settled into a calm, contented, sleep.

 **We are now very near the end of this little story. There is only one chapter left. What do you think will happen next?**


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59: The Fatherhood Principle

I am so sorry it has been so long since and I've published this last chapter to this story. Blame it on Windows 10. I was, maybe, two pages into this chapter when Windows did an update and I was locked out of all my encrypted documents, of which this story was one. I'm no slouch on the computer, used to teach some computer skills when I was a teacher, but everything I tried was a great big fail! I finally decided to do a diagnostic, which took a bit of time, but I FINALLY managed to use my password for this story successfully! I have worked on this story every chance I've had during the last two weeks and here it is! Thank you all for you understanding and patience.

 **It is seven o'clock pm on a typical Monday night. Sheldon Cooper is in his office working late. He reads a thick manuscript closely, his brows furrowed in concentration. The paper he is studying is one written by Helmut Hoffman and given to him the day before. Sheldon's thoughts begin to wander aimlessly through his mind. He is trying, with much frustration, to discover why it is tickling something in the back of his mind. An occasional, 'Hmmm' or 'I see', escapes from Sheldon's mouth every now and again. He knows there is something significant about this theory, but he is having a great deal of trouble figuring out exactly what it is that he is searching for. Several thoughts all race through his mind simultaneously.**

 _I am so relieved we kept Helmut on after Raj returned. This man's research skills and scientific mind are of the highest standard. I suppose there was no letting him go after Annelise and Penny formed a close friendship, Leonard would have been extremely upset with me and Penny may very well have planned my demise. It's all immaterial at this point, however. I am glad he is here and that is that. This paper, though well written and researched, is bothering me. I feel there is more to it than its written words. Something tells me this theory is much more than the sum of its parts. But what is it? I don't want to ask Helmut. Dr. Sheldon Cooper never asks others for explanations of their work, he is the one that always explains to others both his theories and their own. So what is missing here? Or better put, what am I missing?_

At that precise moment, an urgent knock came on his door and before he could tell whomever it was to go away, Leonard burst through the door excitedly, a copy of Helmut's paper held fast in his hand. "Sheldon! Just the person I want to talk to about this!" he exclaimed, waving the sheaf of papers in front of Sheldon's face.

"Leonard, can you not see that I am busy? Helmut gave me a copy of that theory he's been working on and I have been trying to make sense of it since."

"That's what I came to see you about. This theory, Helmut gave me a copy of it, too. This is amazing, don't you think? Why are you looking so upset?"

Sheldon stared up at Leonard, annoyance plainly written on his face, "That he gave it to both of us? No. I do believe Raj received a copy of it, also. What I am curious and concerned about is his suggestion that our superfluid vacuum theory could work in other dimensions. What does that mean exactly? I must admit, the thought has been bothering me all day."

This time, it was Leonard's turn to be annoyed, "Sheldon, don't you see? If this theory holds up, if we can certify it with proofs, my God!"

"My God, what?" he answered testily. Sheldon didn't like it when others grasped scientific theories before he did.

Leonard's voice turned to one of patience, "Sheldon, read the central equation carefully. What do you think that means?"

His friend shrugged and replied in an almost bored voice, "That our universe contains many dimensions, all with differing characteristics. It's quite a bold assumption, but one I have put forth before."

Leonard felt like shaking his friend, but instead, he merely cried out in frustration, "Don't you see? Helmut took this one step further. His theory ties together all of our previous ones and puts them nicely into one, neat, package. Super asymmetry, gravity nullification, the superfluid vacuum, they all work together to contain the entire universe into one, unified theory."

Sheldon's eyes went wide at his friend's words and the tickling in his brain was finally relieved. He rose from behind his desk and crossed the room to envelop Leonard in a giant bear hug. "Good Lord, Leonard! Our junior partner has given us the key to a unified theory of the universe!" Sheldon once again read through the paper quickly and loudly exclaimed, his eyes dancing, "Leonard, we must call Helmut to come over here immediately! We have work to do!"

Leonard's phone suddenly rang in his pocket, he checked to see who was calling him and reluctantly answered it. "Oh, okay. Wait…WHAT? We'll be right there. Don't go anywhere." He turned to Sheldon and blurted out, "Not so fast, buddy. Our talk with Helmut will have to wait. That was Penny. She's in labor and wants me to get her to the hospital asap."

A confused look crossed Sheldon's face as he asked, "But didn't it take quite awhile for Blake to be born? Surely we have at least a couple hours to spare."

As Leonard hadn't hung up the phone, Penny had overheard everything and asked her husband to put her on speaker phone, which he did with much haste. Both men heard very clearly, "Shut up, Sheldon! Have you ever had a baby? I thought not. Look, no two labors are alike and this one feels like it is going much faster. Now send my husband home to me…NOW!"

Sheldon patted his friend on the shoulder and advised him, "I think you should be getting home to your wife with no undue haste and I should join you. I'll call Niki and ask her to meet us there."

Penny's voice once again filled the room, "No need, Sheldon. She's already here. Your mother is watching the kids. Do you and Nik want to go with us?"

This time, Sheldon's voice was sincere and calm as he grabbed Leonard's phone and reassured her, "Wild horses couldn't stop me, Penny. You're the wife of my best friend, and the best friend of my wife. And I suppose you are as close to me, maybe closer, than my own sister. We'll be right there, as Leonard said, don't go anywhere."

A short sarcastic laugh was heard, followed by, "Very funny. The only place I'm going is to the hospital and Leonard will have to drive me."

"Then we shall leave immediately, right Leonard? Leonard?" Sheldon looked around wildly for his friend, to no avail.

Penny's voice was heard from the phone once more, "Sheldon, he's already downstairs and by my side. Now get down here, too. Niki needs you."

His eyes went wide as he responded with true panic, "Good Lord! Is Niki in labor, also?"

On her end, Penny shook her head, rolled her eyes, and replied to the startled physicist, "Not yet, but she still needs you here."

"Tell her I will be down directly. And Penny?"

"Yeah?"

Sheldon did something completely uncharacteristic of him and told her, "I'm sending up a prayer for you and your unborn little one."

Penny's face softened at his words as she ran her hand lovingly over her abdomen, "Awww, thank you Sweetie. Your mother said the same thing. Now get down here. Niki wants you here."

Sheldon grabbed the sheaf of papers and put Leonard's phone in his pocket as he ran out of his office, "Of course, I am leaving now."

When he reached the main floor, Sheldon found Leonard in the Great Room/Reception area with his arm protectively around his wife, who seemed to be in more than a little distress. He also saw Niki somewhat kneeling down in front of Lori, advising her to be a good girl for her grandparents while they were gone.

Mary stood behind her granddaughter and admonished her daughter-in-law, "Now don't you forget, Niki. You better be callin' me and Alfred the second that little one is born."

Niki threw her a reassuring grin, "Have no fear, Mary. As soon as that baby is born, you'll be getting a phone call."

Sheldon stepped over to his wife, put his arm gently around her, and added, "I'll make sure she does, Mother. I wouldn't want to hear it from you and Alfred if we didn't."

A slight grimace crossed Penny's face and she called out to no one in particular, "Hey, hey, everyone. Do you think we could leave for the hospital now? These contractions aren't playing around anymore."

Sheldon nodded quickly and replied, "Of course. Leonard, Niki and I will follow you in our car. Are you going to Huntington or the Methodist?"

Niki planted an elbow into her husband's ribs and chided him with, "Sheldon, you don't know? She has the same doctor I do, at Huntington Memorial."

"I'm sorry everyone. I suppose my mind has been somewhere else tonight. As I said before, Leonard, we will follow you."

As they walked out the front door, Niki looked up at Sheldon and inquired, "All right, spill it Cooper. What's been occupying that immense mind of yours tonight."

He unlocked the doors of the car and answered her as they both got in, "I'll explain it all to you on the drive to the hospital.

"This better be good, Sheldon."

Her husband started the car, looked over at Niki and gave her a sly smile, "Oh it is, Freckles. It is." He purposefully tossed a stapled stack of papers into her lap, "Read this and tell me what you think."

"Sheldon, this is neither the time nor the place…"

"Just read it…please."

"If you insist." Niki brows furrowed in concentration as she read until she suddenly looked up and gave a little gasp, "Geeze, Cooper! Is this saying what I think it's saying?"

Sheldon's voice was more than a bit smug, "So it would seem."

"B-b-but this kind of ties all of our work of the past few years into one, neat, bundle."

Her husband nodded as he kept his eyes on the road, "That it does."

Niki turned in her seat and addressed him excitedly, "Cooper, we've got to get together with Helmut and publish this!"

Sheldon nodded once more, "I agree. I have texted him and he and Annelise are meeting us at the hospital. Oh, not just about his theory, but about Penny, too."

"Good. This should be an interesting night." His wife pulled out her phone and began to text at a furious pace.

""Whatever are you doing? I have already told you I was in touch with Helmut."

"Oh no, I'm not texting Helmut. I'm telling Amanda and Raj to get their butts over to the hospital asap."

"Very good. I think you should give the same instructions to Howard and Bernadette."

"I'm on it as you speak. Sheldon, could you drive a little bit faster? That baby will be born before we ever get there."

"Better we miss the child's birth than to miss their entire life. It is my responsibility to see that we get to the hospital safely, and I take my responsibilities very seriously."

Niki sensed this was one battle she wouldn't win,so she merely shrugged her shoulders and reluctantly settled in for the ride.

After parking the car at the hospital, Sheldon's long legs took him quickly through the front door and up to the Admissions Desk where he and Niki asked for information regarding Penny and were told that she had been assigned to room 302 and that the Coopers had been given the okay to be in the room with the Hofstadters.

As they raced down the third floor hall to the labor rooms, or at least as much racing as Niki could do with her pregnant body, the Cooper's heads swiveled from side to side, both of them reading the numbers on each room as they passed

"Two-niney-nine, three hundred, three hundred one, oh, here it is!"

The Coopers burst through the door of room 302 and Niki greeted Penny with, "Hey, girl! How's it going?"

Penny shot her a glaring look and snapped, "I'm in hard labor, how do you think it's going?"

Sheldon was a bit taken aback and upbraided her with, "You needn't use that tone of voice, Penny. My wife was merely voicing her concern about your well being."

Leonard made a feeble attempt at placating his friend, "Easy, Sheldon. Penny didn't mean to bark like that, but she is in a lot of pain right now."

Penny's eyes narrowed as she interrupted him, "I don't need you to stand up for me, Leonard. I am quite capable of defending myself, if you don't mind."

Leonard's response was a feeble, "I was just trying…."

This time it was Niki who interrupted, "Guys, guys, stop it. I get where she's coming from. It was a stupid question, though I meant it with the best of intentions. I'm sorry, Penny."

At her bestie's words, Penny looked a little chagrined and attempted to make peace, "Hey, girl. I know. You just caught me at a bad moment. I'm sorry, too. Now, as far as how it's going, it's hurting a lot and I do think it won't be much longer until our daughter is born."

Niki's grin was wide as she teased, "You're sure it's going to be a girl, huh?"

"Yep. I have spoken. I want a girl this time and I know that's what I'll have."

Leonard interjected, "Honey, just because you wish for it…"

Penny's retort was quick and strained, "Shut up, Leonard and grab my hand. Here comes another contraction and this one is a doozy!"

Not ten minutes later, Leonard turned to the Coopers with a worried look on his face and asked, "Hey, could you guys find the Koothrappalis and the Wolowitzes and let them know what's going on?"

Niki placated him with a small grin and a pat on the arm, "No worries. As we speak I'm texting both Amanda and Bernie and keeping them informed. Both couples are on their way and should be here in about fifteen minutes. if they can find parking, that is."

Leonard's response was for both Coopers, but his eyes only met Sheldon's, "Well, I hope they get here soon. I think it's close to the time I'm going to have to ask you guys to leave so the doctor can come in here for the last hurrah."

Niki suddenly winced and looked over at her husband as she looped her arm through his, "Actually, Leonard, I think we'll be leaving right about now."

Sheldon countered his wife's proposal with a petulant, "Whatever do you mean? We've just gotten here and baby Hofstadter's birth is most likely not _that_ imminent."

Niki fruitlessly attempted to pull him closer to the door, "No, Schatze, it isn't. But baby Cooper has just let me know that he's on his way."

"Of course. Wait, _he's_?"

Niki nodded emphatically as she answered her husband, "Yeah, he's. You got to call the last one, Sheldon. I'm in charge of this one and I want a boy. You got a problem with that?"

Sheldon did an exaggerated eye roll and let out a sigh before replying, "No, not at all. But never let it be said that the act of childbirth improved a woman's demeanor."

"Shut up, Sheldon!" both women chorused at once.

Leonard commiserated with his friend and gave him some valuable tips, "Look, buddy, let's humor the ladies for a bit and just keep our mouths shut. I also think you should get Niki admitted asap."

"Why? Labor can take quite awhile. I don't see the need to hurry."

Leonard grabbed his friend by the shoulders and turned him to face Niki, "Sheldon, look at your wife's face. Does that face look like it wants you to take your time getting her a room?"

"Point taken, Leonard." Turning to Niki, Sheldon placed an arm on her shoulder and steered her toward the door, "After some consideration, I agree with you. Let's get you admitted and comfy, or at least as comfy as a woman in labor can get."

With that, the Coopers headed out the door and Leonard returned to his wife's side, cajoling her to, "Relax and breathe, honey. This baby's going to be here soon."

Penny looked up at her husband, panic written on her face, "Leonard?"

"Yes?"

"Ring for the doctor. I think this is it!"

"S-s-sure thing," he stammered nervously.

But before he could press the call button, Penny's doctor opened the door, looked in, and made a quick assessment, "Mrs. Hofstadter, I can't say for sure until I've checked you, but I do believe you and Leonard will be meeting your new child in the very near future."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

While the Hofstadters were busy with their birth process, Sheldon and Niki were pleasantly surprised when they were assigned the room next door to their friends. Once situated and unpacked, the Coopers began an intimate conversation regarding their child and their future. Let's listen in for a bit, shall we?

After his wife was settled in her bed, Sheldon looked up from his phone and asked in an earnest voice, "Niki, did you mean what you said about our next child being a boy?

She nodded, "Darn right I did. I even have a name picked out."

A small smile crossed her husband's lips, "Could that name be Sheldon?"

"No."

"Leonard?"

Niki now shook her head in a determined manner, but her voice was calm and dreamy, "No. It's none of our friends, okay? His name is going to be one I picked out long ago, and just the first name. I have something special chosen for his middle name." She then grinned happily at her husband, "You will be the first person to know his name, I promise. For now, just humor me."

Sheldon threw up his hands in surrender, "Niki, I know better than to argue with you. When your mind is made up about something, you are immovable as a stone wall."

Her demeanor turned almost flirtatious as she answered, "Yep. Like when I set my sights on a certain tall, handsome, physicist."

"Are you speaking of me?"

Niki's head swiveled as she took in her surroundings, "You see any other tall, handsome, physicists in this room?"

"No, and I appreciate the sentiment, but…" Sheldon's voice trailed off as he caught sight of his wife's grimacing face. "Was that a hard one?"

Niki nodded, her brows furrowed with a look of worry, "Yes, but this sure feels different from Lori's birth."

"Well, our mothers are not here."

Niki shook her head emphatically as she told him, "No, it's not that. This feels weird."

Sheldon's voice held nothing but concern, "More painful, if that were at all possible?"

"No, not really. The pain level is the same, it's just presenting itself much differently. The contractions are closer together and it seems like I'm not making too much progress."

The father-to-be made a feeble attempt to calm his wife's concerns, "Well, it's only been thirty minutes."

Niki sat up and made a frustrating try at getting comfortable, "No, I mean, when I was at this level of pain and contractions with Lori, I could feel her head moving down, getting ready to be born. This boy seems like he's resisting the entire idea. No matter how hard my body is trying to convince him otherwise, he wants to stay put."

Sheldon placed a loving hand on his wife's shoulder and asked, "Should I call the doctor?"

"Not yet. Like you said, it hasn't been that long"

Sheldon reluctantly returned to viewing something on his phone, "Very well. But let me know when it's time for me to summon help."

Niki gave him a forced grin and, with much difficulty, suppressed a moan as she replied, "Okay, I will."

Two hours later, Niki was drenched in sweat and no closer to giving birth. At this point, Sheldon took the initiative and placed a call to their doctor, urging him to come to their room and check things out with his wife. The good doctor was at first reluctant, but then hearing a primal scream erupt from Niki's throat, he assured Sheldon he was on his way.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Back in the Hofstadter room, the birth of Leonard and Penny's child was very near. Their doctor had left the room to ready himself for the impending birth. Much like the Coopers, Leonard and Penny also engaged in a serious conversation. Let's eavesdrop on this one, too, shall we?

Leonard looked out the expansive window in the room and asked his wife, without turning around to face her, "Penny, did you really mean it when you said this one was going to be a girl?"

Penny's chin tilted up stubbornly as she answered him, "Yep, I sure did. I have a name picked out for her and everything."

He finally turned around and asked in an almost demanding voice, "Would you care to give me a hint as to what the name is and just why you want a girl?"

His wife gave a quick nod and looked past her husband's face as she mused, "Okay, first I want a girl because I've seen the bond between Niki and Lori. They seem to have so much fun together. I want that, too."

Leonard frowned as he blurted out, "You have fun with Blake."

Penny gave a long sigh and continued with her reasonings, "I know, I know. But he isn't a girl and he's just plain not interested in tea parties, ponies, or fairy princesses. My dad raised me like a boy. I want a little girl I can raise to be girly." She immediately added, "If that's what she wants, of course."

Now Leonard's face broke into a wide grin as he teased, "What if she's a tomboy?"

His wife matched him grin for grin as she shot back, "Then I intend to show her my wicked fastball." Penny thought hard for a moment and then asked him, "Do _you_ have a preferred gender for this child?"

Leonard's eyebrows raised in curiosity, "Why do you ask? I thought you said your mind was made up."

Penny looked down at her hands as she shamefully admitted to him, "I just realized that sometimes it looks like I leave you out of things and this was one of those times. I'm not really, I just live in my head sometimes and get tunnel vision."

Her husband decided to put her words to the test as he came over to the bed and put his face close to hers, "You mean you really want to know what I prefer?"

Penny nodded and grabbed one of his hands and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Yeah. I love you, Leonard. And you _are_ the child's father for cripes sake! Oh, shit! Here comes another contraction!"

After it had passed, Leonard slowly extracted his hand from her viselike grip and told her, "I don't care what gender this child is. I just want you and the child to come through this okay."

Penny's voice sounded tired, but resolute, as she reached for his hand once more, "That's nice, Sweetie. But I really want to hear your feelings on the subject."

Leonard nodded thoughtfully, let out a long breath, and replied gently, "Okay, but first give me a hint about the name you chose.""

Well," she took a moment to work through a contraction, "do you remember when I told you I was pregnant with Blake?

"Of course. It was on Christmas Eve. But you didn't announce it to just me, all of our friends were there as well."

Penny's face brightened at his remembrance, "Yes. That was one of the best Christmas Eves I've ever had, and I want our daughter's name to commemorate it."

"Are you thinking of calling her…"

His words were cut off as Penny cried out, "Leonard, get the doctor in here, quick!."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Doctor Actus made a perfunctory examination of Niki and then announced, "The problem seems to be with your wife's hips, Mr. Cooper."

"That's _Dr_. Cooper, if you don't mind."

The man rolled his eyes at Sheldon, "Fine. Dr. Cooper. It seems that your wife's hips are the major problem here. They are preventing her labor from progressing."

Now Sheldon was curious and concerned, not combative, "In what way?"

At that, Niki sat up in her bed and exclaimed in a voice fueled by frustration and fear, "Excuse me, I'm right here, not two feet from the two of you. How about you guys include me in this discussion?"

"I'm sorry for that Mrs. Cooper. Or are you a doctor, also?"

Sheldon sniffed derisively, "Of course she is. Would I have married any other kind of woman? I left that to Leonard."

Now Niki's fear was compounded with anger, "Sheldon! Stop that! Penny is my best friend and she is plenty intelligent about things you struggle with."

Being put vehemently in his place, her husband conceded, "Very well. I see your point. But,yes, my wife is also a doctor. She has her PhD. In Astrophysics. Surely she has told you thant in the past."

Niki met his words with a frown and a question, "Sheldon, that has absolutely nothing to do with this situation. Now, doctor, could you please tell my why my hips are the problem?" Niki's face suddenly went white and she raised a single finger while saying, "Wait a sec before you answer that, please."

After the contraction had passed, the doctor asked her, "All right, but first, how do want to be addressed? Mrs. Cooper, Dr. Cooper, or something else?"

Niki let out a prolonged sigh of exasperation, "Just call me by my name. Is that too difficult for you?

The doctor turned to Sheldon, "She's a feisty one, isn't she?"

He nodded, "Yes, and she will get even more so if you fail to answer her question."

"Very well. Niki, you are a fairly slender woman and your narrow hips are not leaving much room for this baby to travel down the birth canal."

Sheldon countered the man's words with, "That's ridiculous! She had no trouble birthing our daughter."

The doctor seemed shocked, "This isn't your first child?"

"No, this will be our second. You were there for the first one, remember? And Sheldon is right, I had no trouble whatsoever with my first. Oh crap! Here comes another contraction!"

Doctor Actus thought deeply for a moment and then told them, "I haven't had the time to give your situation a thorough examination, I have even forgotten your last child's birth. But it is most likely that this child is going to be somewhat larger than your first."

Shedon nodded, "That makes perfect sense."

"So now what?" Niki blurted out.

"I am going to schedule you for a C-Section. Every time you have a contraction, your baby's heartrate increases dramatically. I would say the umbilical cord is getting wedged between the baby's head and your pelvic bone. Time is of the essence here. If you will both excuse me, I will go prepare things for the procedure."

After the doctor left the room, Niki's eyes widened in terror and she cried out, "Sheldon, I don't want to do that! I want a natural childbirth!"

He attempted to calm his wife's fear through calm reasoning, "Niki, we have to think of the child here."

His wife dropped her head and bit her lip, "I know, I know. But I still don't like it."

They were interrupted by a friendly face peeking into their room, "Hey guys, don't mean to interrupt things, but I have a suggestion for you."

 **Who is this person and what can they do to help Niki? We shall soon find out. But now, back to the Hofstadters.**

As Doctor Actus left Room 303 and raced down the hall towards the delivery room, he ran into Leonard Hofstadter emerging from Room 303. The poor man looked at him wild-eyed and shouted, "Doc, come quick, I think it's time!"

The obstetrician stared at Leonard and did a quick contrast of the soon-to-be fathers. He mentally compared Leonard's wild panic with the calm, almost detached, demeanor of Dr. Cooper and made a lightening quick decision. Viewing one of the midwives coming in their direction, he instructed her to, "Please, my good woman, could you see to the Coopers in Room 303? I'm afraid it looks like the wife may need an emergency c-section. Check her out and please do what you can to prepare all the involved parties for the operation. Mrs. Hofstadter in Room 302 is quite close to giving birth and I feel compelled to deal with her needs first."

The young woman nodded and replied, "But of course, Doctor. I'm on it." With that, the woman turned on her heels and headed into Room 303.

Meanwhile, in Room 302, Dr. Actus was attempting to steer Leonard to a calm place while at the same time, facilitating the birth of the Hofstadter child. The man truly looked like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. His wife, on the other hand, seemed more calm and made her focus the imending birth of their child. After a few seconds, despite Leonard's paranoia, he deemed Penny's need the greater of the two and turned his attention to her. "Now, Mrs. Hofstadter, just breath, concentrate on pushing, and, unless I'm frightfully mistaken, I do believe your baby is going to joining us in the very near future."

At that, Penny looked up at the doctor with a determinined glare, gave a final push and the cry of a newborn infant filled the room.

Oh my God!" Leonard cried out, tears in his eyes, "She's beautiful!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

As the young midwife entered the room after her greeting, Niki blurted out, "Who are you and what are you doing here? Does this have anything to do with a C-Section?"

The midwife gave a wry grin and answered her with, "Well, sort of. Dr. Actus sent me here to check on you and help arrange your procedure."

Niki shook her head vehemently in response and snapped, "I don't want that procedure. I want to birth my child naturally."

The young woman entered the room and headed towards the bed, "I understand. Let me check you out, Mrs., Ms.?"

"Call me Niki. Niki Cooper." She pointed towards the tall man on the other side of the bed, "That's my husband, Sheldon."

The woman gave each a brief nod, "Nice to meet you both. Now, what did the good doctor say about your problem?"

As his wife was caught in the throes of a strong contraction, Sheldon took it upon himself to answer, "That Niki was too thin in the hips for the baby to pass safely through the birth canal. He also mentioned that every time she pushes, the baby's heartbeat goes up dramatically."

"I see…"

Sheldon attempted to pin her down, "You see what, exactly?"

The midwife gave them both a reassuring smile and replied, "That this 'problem' may not need a c-section for a remedy."

Niki stared at the woman open-mouthed and exclaimed, "Say what?!"

The woman began to give instructions in a kind, yet no-nonsense voice, "Niki, get on your hands and knees and start to rock back and forth."

Sheldon interrupted her with, "Why does she have to do that?"

"Don't ask questions, Sheldon. We don't have time for that. Trust me, okay? Mrs. Cooper, I mean Niki, just do it."

Niki began to position herself as the woman requested, "All right. Here goes."

The young midwife kept encouraging her, "Keep rocking, keep rocking. There! I think you're ready to do this."

Niki's eyes went wide and she screamed, "Oh my god! I think this child is about to be born!"

"I don't think we have time to get you to the labor room, or get the doctor in here. Do you think we can deliver this baby by ourselves?"

"Miss, Mrs.? Whatever your name is. I think I could deliver this baby without anyone here at all. He or she is coming now!"

The midwife gave a short chuckle and told her, "Good. Oh, by the way, my name is Niki, also.

Niki gasped as she tried to respond in a normal voice, "No shit! Is it short for Nicole?"

"Yep. You?"

"Nikita. Oh my lord, here he comes!"

"Just relax, Niki, and get ready to greet your new baby. Now, as gently as you can, lay back down on the bed."

Within a few seconds, Niki gave a strong push and a loud cry from the child filled the room.

"Oh dear Lord!" Sheldon exclaimed, "he's beautiful!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Penny," Leonard whispered tenderly, "you did great. We have a healthy daughter."

She looked up at her husband and answered weakly, "Told ya."

In response, he kissed Penny on the forehead and then announced, "Okay, now it's time for you to do a little reveal. What is our lovely daughter's name?"

"Remember when I told you about the Christmas Eve when I announced I was pregnant with Blake?"

Leonard nodded, "Yeah. We just talked about that a little while ago."

Penny smiled and continued, "Well, I've never forgotten that night. So, if you're agreeable, her name is Noelle."

"Noelle," Leonard mused and repeated to himself, "Noelle. Hmm…I like it. It sounds lovely. No, I love it. Do you have any ideas about her middle name?"

"Yeah. Amelia."

Leonard looked puzzled as he asked her, "Amelia? After Amelia Earhart?"

Penny rolled her eyes and answered, "No. For Amy. She was my best friend and I know she would have loved to have been here for this. I shared so much with Ames, I guess this is my way of sharing this with her, too."

Leonard reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, "I like that idea, too. Noel Amelia. Yeah, that works. And it's beautiful at the same time."

Penny looked down at the tiny life laying in her arms, her dark hair so reminiscent of her father's, but possessing her mother's pretty face, "You're right, she's beautiful. Do you think her blue eyes will turn green, Doctor?"

Dr. Actus smiled at the happy couple, "There's every chance of that, Mrs. Hofstadter. Though they may stay blue. Time will tell."

At that, Leonard shook his head and told both of them, "No, they're going to be green."

"How do you know that, Mr. Hofstadter?"

Leonard looked down at his wife and daughter with tears forming in his eyes, "Because she is going to be just as beautiful as her mother, and her mother has green eyes."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sheldon Cooper cradled his newborn son in his arms and stared down at the child's face in wonder. He could not believe what he was seeing. The boy's face was a mirror image of his own. His son's eyes were the same deep blue color and the shape of the face and the boy's mouth were identical to his own. He whispered reverently to no one in particular, "It's like looking in a mirror."

Dr. Actus added kindly, "Except he has your wife's hair color."

Sheldon looked up, gave the man a warm smile, and then returned to staring lovingly at his son, "Yes. But that is preferred. He is absolutely perfect!"

Niki nodded as she looked from the doctor to her husband, "Yep. I planned it that way. I kept wishing and praying for a boy who would look exactly like his father. And that's what I got."

"What are you two going to name him?"

Niki smiled and replied, "I've given this a lot of thought, and I've decided his name will be Ryan."

Sheldon cocked his head quizzically and asked her, "Why Ryan?"

Niki shrugged and explained, "It's a name I had always planned to give my first born son. What do you think, Sheldon?"

"Ryan. Hmmmm. I suppose it will do. It is a masculine name and quite mellifluous. What will be his middle name?"

"Sakurai."

Dr. Actus looked taken aback as he asked her, "Sakurai?"

Niki planted a tender kiss on her son's forehead as she helped her husband transfer their son back into her arms, "Yes, Sakurai. His father and his godfather just won that physic's prize not that long ago and I want this child to never forget how brilliant and dedicated his father is to everything he does."

Once again the doctor had a question, "Won't that put a bit of pressure on the boy? He is going to be raised in a very academic environment that is already chock full of pressure. I mean, as I now recall, both of his parents are Nobel winners. Do you think this name will help with that?"

Niki shook her head resolutely, "Most likely not, but any pressure won't come from me, that's for sure. And I'm pretty sure not from Sheldon. He hasn't done that with our daughter."

The doctor began, "But she's a girl and…"

Niki gave a knowing smirk as she looked up at the two men, "That doesn't matter one whit to Sheldon. He's the least mysoginistic person I know. I feel pretty safe in saying that both of our children will be successful in whatever they decide to do with their lives."

Again, Dr. Actus spoke up, "Why is that?"

This time it was Sheldon who answered, "That one is easy. They will come from a happy home where both of their parents love each other deeply and are very committed to their marriage and children, as well as to their careers. They will be ahead of the game right there. Right, Freckles?"

Niki looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "Oh, Cooper! That was beautiful!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Thirty minutes later, all of their friends and relatives were gathered in the doorway that connected both of the hospital rooms, admiring the latest additions to their friends' families.

Raj smiled as he checked out Sheldon's new son, "Dude, that boy looks just like you!"

Bernadette added acidly, "It is uncanny, Sheldon. Did you mean to control that, too?"

He ignored her tone, as he often did, and responded with, "Unfortunately, I must admit that Niki had control of the outcome, not me. She even had the boy's name picked out."

"Is that true?" Bernadette eagerly asked her. "I like the idea of the woman taking charge."

Niki felt a twinge of annoyance at Bernie's questioning and looked over at her small friend and then up at her husband, "Guys, guys, it wasn't some power play I masterminded or anything like that. I just wished for a boy who would resemble his father, and that happened. His name? I've liked the name Ryan for many years and now I had the opportunity to use it."

Amanda Koothrappali scooped up the newborn and cooed, "Well, whatever it was, he's beautiful!"

Sheldon mused whistfully, "Almost as beautiful as Lori when she was born."

Helmut countered that statement with, "Now Sheldon, we all know that Lori has your heart, but was she this gorgeous?"

Niki sensed an occasion where she would have to, once again, defend her husband, "I have to support Sheldon here. Lori was every bit as beautiful as Ryan, if not more." She then grinned wickedly and added, "Sheldon makes great looking babies."

Howard agreed with the rest of the people in the room,"You got that right. It's one thing I can give him credit for. Sheldon, you drive us all crazy sometimes, but you and Niki have some good looking children."

Niki's mother quickly added, "Well, their grandparents may have had something to do with that!"

Sheldon got an excited look on his face and he turned to his wife with a suggestion,"Niki, let's make some Punnett squares and see if that holds true!"

Niki was more than a little amused. That sounded just like him and she found no little comfort in the fact. Still, she decided some things could wait, no matter how gung ho he was about the entire idea, "Not now, Sheldon. We don't need to graphically organize everything that happens in life, do we?"

He cocked his head almost unbelievingly, "We don't? What an odd thing to say."

Howard began to laugh and interjected, "What did I say about him driving us crazy?"

The whole room erupted into laughter and Sheldon, much chagrined, decided to back down and just drink in the many accolades his son was receiving.

Soon, Mary Cooper arrived with Blake and Lori and all the visitors shifted to the Hofstadter's room, and similar conversations began to take place.

Amanda was the first to offer a comment, "I have to give you this, Leonard, your daughter is as beautiful as your wife."

Leonard's grin of pride went from ear to ear, "Don't I know it. As soon as she was born, I knew she had gotten Penny's genes in the looks department."

Raj smiled wickedly and added, "Whose brains do you think she'll get? I hope that they're yours."

It was Niki who then spoke, defended her bestie, "Hey guys, Penny's pretty damn smart in her own way. Sheldon and I often go to her for advice."

Penny gave her a tired, but thankful, grin, "Thanks, girl. I needed that. You do know that there are many different kinds of intelligence, don't you? My besties taught me that."

Leonard piped up in curiosity, "And would that be?"

His wife threw him a mischievous grin, "Why, Nik and Amy, of course. I have a lot of dear friends, but Ames and Nik have been the most special."

Lori interrupted the adults excitedly, "I'm special, too! DaDa and Mommy says so!"

Everyone in the group had a good laugh and then Sheldon announced, "I do believe it's time for us to leave the new mommies alone with their new bundles of joy. For old times sake, let's all go to the Cheesecake factory for a little celebratory repaste…my treat."

As they all laughed and headed for the door, Howard chuckled happily and replied, "Hey, this certainly is a momentous occasion. I'm in!"

Amanda grinned from ear to ear and seemed to agree with him, "Yes, it is! Two new members have joined our little family."

Howard was quick to jokingly correct her, "Oh, that's not what I meant. I was just acknowledging the fact that C3PeeWeeHerman is paying. For all of us!

Leonard grabbed Sheldon's arm as they headed out the door, "Uh uh. You're not the only new father here. I say me and you split the bill."

"That sounds like a perfectly good suggestion Leonard. Duly noted and agreed upon. Now, let us get to our cars and meet at the restaurant."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Fast forward six months into the future and all was not well. Childbirth had been hard on both mothers, but especially on Niki. While Penny had the luxury of taking some time off between projects, the physical and mental exhaustion caused by working full time and being the mother of two children, one of them an infant, had completely sapped Niki of her energy and usual lust for life. This condition hadn't been helped by her husband. Sheldon constantly toiled long hours with Leonard and Helmut on further developing Helmut's work, which as they had surmised, tied together their theories of gravity nullification, superfluid vacuum, and super asymmetry into one, cohesive theory. The hours Sheldon spent apart from his wife and children led to more than a little resentment on Niki's part.

One day, out of pure frustration, the harried mother put in a call to Penny, _"Girl, get over here asap, I need to talk to you!"_

 _"I'll have to bring the kids, Leonard's locked away in his office with Helmut and your ever lovin' spouse."_

Niki gave a long sigh and answered, _"I know. That's part of what I want to talk about. How soon can you and the kids get here?"_

Penny checked both the clock on the wall and the state of her children's cleanliness, _"Give me ten minutes to corral and tidy up the kids and I'll be on my way."_

 _"Great. See you then."_ Niki then ended the call and looked out the window with tears in her eyes and softly whispered _, "Please help, Penny. This is one time I really need your common sense and wisdom."_

A little less than fifteen minutes later, Penny and her brood burst through the front door of the Cooper home and deposited themselves on the couch. "What's up, Buttercup?" the pretty blonde inquired with some concern.

Niki held up a finger as a signal to her friend, "Not yet, Penny. First, let's get the kids situated. Blake and Lori can go play in Lori's room." She then turned to her daughter and asked sweetly, "Is that okay with you, honey?"

Lori nodded enthusiastically as she grabbed Penny's son by the hand, "Yes, Mommy. C'mon, Blake. Let's go!"

Penny gave a happy grin and chuckled, "She's getting so big, they both are. I love how she can now say Blake instead of Bwake."

Niki nodded, "Yes, time passes so quickly when you have small children. They grow up so fast. That's part of the problem. Here," she took her young son and put him on a blanket in front of the couch, which had several bright-colored toys on it, "let's put the babies down here where we can watch them and then I'll get into the situation."

After Penny deposited Noelle on the same blanket, she turned to her friend and asked in a worried voice, "Okay, Nik. What's up?"

Once again, Niki gave a long sigh and proceed to explain to her friend, "It's Sheldon, or more to the point, his absence. He's never here. He comes in late at night, gives me and kids a quick kiss, and heads off to his little corner of the dining room to eat some cold dinner while he does yet more work on that darn theory."

Penny merely cocked her head and asked, "Does he even notice you?"

Niki looked down at her hands folded in her lap and answered in a sad voice, "Sometimes. Once in a while he hands me some papers and tells me to check his work. Me, with two small children to get to bed. It's almost like he doesn't notice them. Or me, if I want to be honest." A small tear began making its way down her cheek. "I don't know…I know the work is important and all…it's just that we should be, also. And I don't know for sure if he even cares about us anymore. It's all given to his work now."

Penny cleared her throat and looked earnestly at her friend as she reminded her, "As I recall, Sheldon has retreated into his work before now. I believe you used to say he was in The Zone."

Niki nodded, but explained further, "Yeah, but that was always just for a few days. This has been going on for months now."

Penny moved closer to her friend and patted her leg, "But this work could get him, Leonard, and Helmut a Nobel, couldn't it?"

Niki let out a long breath and pointed at something in another part of the room, "Yeah, but Penny, look behind you at that glass case."

She did as she was asked and shrugged, "So? What about it?"

"That case holds our Nobel medals and the papers that go with it."

Penny looked into her friend's eyes, a confused look on her face, "Okay. Once again, so?"

Niki closed her eyes and asked, "Do you know how often either one of us looks at that case, or takes those medals out?"

"No."

Niki's face got serious as she answered and began to make an insightful point, "Never. You see, it was the quest for the award that fueled Sheldon and made him tick. The dream of it. Once he earned it, it didn't mean so much to him anymore."

Penny pulled back a bit from her friend, "So you're saying?"

"I'm saying that Sheldon's kids and his wife should mean at least as much to him as chasing an award that will lose it's luster soon after it's won. More, in fact. We're living, breathing, human beings who all love him very much, but he seems almost indifferent to us."

Penny slowly nodded, and then put a delicate question to her friend, "Nik, how's your love life? Is that gone, too?

Niki's tears began once more as she explained, "Almost. Once in a blue moon, Sheldon makes sexual overtures and we make love, if you want to call ten minutes of impersonal physical interaction making love. Penny, I just want things to go back to the way they were before Ryan was born. I know new babies can change the dynamics of a marriage, but Lori was our first experience as parents and things didn't change that much. In fact, they got even better. Look, I don't mean to be nosey, but how are you and Leonard doing?"

Penny reached for her friend's hand and gently replied, "Just fine. Yeah, he's working almost as hard as Sheldon, but when he comes home, me and the kids get his full attention. I don't know what to tell you, Nik, unless it's this: Give Sheldon a little more time. He's a brilliant man and I know he loves you and the kids more than you'll ever know. He'll figure it out, trust me."

Niki's face went dark, "I sure hope so. If he doesn't, I think I'll crack from the exhaustion. It took both of us to make these children, and it should be both of us raising and taking care of them, not just me. Penny, I take the kids to the office with me, both of them, and try to get some work done, though not much actually does by the end of the day. I need help with them, and I need it from their father. _They_ need it from their father. Lori misses his attention so much."

Penny's eyes narrowed as she asked a pointed question, "Do you still love Sheldon?"

Her friend sadly nodded, "Of course. I'll always love him. I just don't know if he still loves me."

Penny stood up to repostion the two babies on the blanket. She then sat back down on the couch and gave some advice to her bestie, "You need two things right now, Nik. Patience and faith."

Niki gave a unamused chuckle and added, "Having Sheldon back to his old self wouldn't hurt, either."

"Just give it a little more time. If I know the Wackadoodle, he'll come around."

Niki's eyes stared directly into Penny's as she asked, "And if he doesn't?"

Penny got up and used levity in an attempt to lighten the mood, "I'll just have to open a can of whoopass on him, that's what."

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Niki laughed out loud. She hugged her friend and they then proceeded to plan a girls' night out for the next month. Neither of them noticed the tall man listening outside the front door, tears running down his face.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was dinner time that same evening and Niki had her hands full with trying to cook an actual meal while dealing with a crying baby and a screaming toddler. She was about to give up doing any of that in frustration when Sheldon came in through the front door and immediately took his daughter's hand and led her away from the chaos. "Princess, what was all that noise? Mommy's doing the best she can and needs our help. Okay?"

Lori looked up adoringly at her father and tried to explain to him her dilemma, "Okay, DaDa. But since Ryan came, Mommy doesn't play with me anymore, or tell me stories. I don't know if she loves me any more."

The little girl's words tore at his heart and he hugged her tightly, "Princess, Mommy still loves you and so do I. It's just that everything's been a bit crazy lately." He then looked over at Niki, "And I'm going to work hard at changing all of that, Lori. From now on, my work stays at work. What do you say sometimes you come to work with me? Would you like that?"

"Oh yes, DaDa! I can be with you and Uncle Leonard?"

Sheldon smiled indulgently down at his daughter as he added, "And Uncle Helmut, Uncle Raj, and Uncle Howard. Now, doesn't that sound like fun?"

Lori's entire face beamed, tears long forgotten as she replied excitedly, "Yes! Especially if Uncle Howard shows me some of his magic tricks!"

Her father muttered more to himself than anyone else, "Oh, I'm sure he will. I'm sure he will."

"Is that an eye roll, Sheldon Cooper?" asked Niki as she came out of the kitchen and into the living room. A saucy smirk appeared on her face as she spoke.

Her husband turned to face her and reluctantly admitted, "I suppose it is, but the man brings that out in me, for all I'm fond of him." He then crossed the room and took his wife in his arms, "Just as you bring out this in me." With that, Sheldon Cooper gave his wife a long, lingering kiss, ignoring Ryan in his high chair and his daughter on the couch.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked him teasingly.

Sheldon let out a sigh and loosened his grip on her a tad, "To your husband finally realizing what a horse's behind he has been to you and his children lately. It hit me today that I have been acting very selfishly the past few months, not that this news is a shock to you. It seems I'm always apologizing to you for something or other. It's a wonder you always forgive me and still tolerate me."

Niki's eyes met his playfully, "Who said I forgive you?"

"The way you responded to my kiss told me all I need to know. Niki, I love you. I will always love you. I will also always love our children. There is no luckier man on the face of this planet than I, and that will never change."

Niki melted into her husband's arms and softly whispered, "Oh Cooper!"

Sheldon broke their embrace to announce, "Now, I'll mind the children while you finish cooking dinner. Then, we will all sit down together as a family and enjoy our meal. And afterwards, I will get Lori ready for bed while you handle Ryan. As our last detail, I shall join you in cleaning up the kitchen and washing the dishes."

Niki gave her husband a blatantly seductive look and asked him, "Are you sure that's our last detail for the night?"

Sheldon's look back at his wife was just as smoldering, "It seems I stand corrected, and happily so."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Several weeks later, Niki Cooper awoke from a sound sleep with the sense that something was 'off'. Not majorly wrong, just a bit off. She reached across the expanse of the bed and suddenly realized what it was; her husband was not beside her. This in itself was not strange, Sheldon Cooper had always been an early riser and was awake and, more often than not, out in the kitchen before his wife. No, what made Sheldon's absence odd was that it had been his turn to tend to Ryan's early morning feeding and put him back asleep. That he had done without a fuss and returned to their bed and proceeded to make love to Niki in the loving, sensual, and intensely satisfying manner he had repeatedly demonstrated to her in the last month. On morning like this, Niki most often woke to Sheldon's arms wrapped contentedly around her as he slept in. But this particular morning, she had woken up alone.

Rather than get annoyed, Niki smiled gently and lay back on her pillow as she recapped in her mind the major events of her years with her husband. She recalled the first time they met, their trip to Santa Barbara, their first trip to Disneyland together, their first kiss there, the first time they had made love, and their first time dancing together. Her mind also envisioned the Rooftop Prom, the Fourth of July on the Queen Mary, the horrific experience of their evil intern (at which the smile briefly faded from her face and was replaced with a grimace), buying their present home and facility, their eventful lecture series, their wedding, the birth of Lori, their Nobel win, the trip to Germany, Ryan's birth, and many other important milestones of their relationship. When her nostalgic recollection was finished, Niki found herself more worried than upset at Sheldon's absence.

"Where has he gone to?" she wondered out loud, "It's not like him to leave me without a word." Suddenly, Niki's phone alerted her to an incoming call. It was Penny. Without a greeting of any kind, her bestie blurted out, "Girl, go look out of your living room window."

"Whaaat?"

Penny continued, "Trust me. Just do as I say. Look out the damn window."

Niki gave a sigh of exasperation, but replied in a resigned voice, "All right. But you'd better be able to explain all of this to me after."

"Won't be necessary, now go look!"

With equal parts curiosity and annoyance, Niki pulled on her robe and made her way out of the bedroom and down the long hall to the living room. She headed directly for the window facing the expanse of yard that separated their home from the pool and the front house. She vaguely heard some sort of music and singing coming from the area close to the pool fence and parted the blinds to have a better look at whatever was going on outside. The puzzled look on her face was quickly replaced by her mouth making a perfect O and both eyes widening in wonder.

What she saw out in the yard was Sheldon and Leonard, both sitting on a large, blue blanket, each with a baby in their lap and a toddler snuggled up next to them. As the background music was playing, the men began to sweetly serenade their children with _Good Morning Starshine_ from Hair.

Good morning starshine, the earth says "Hello"  
You twinkle above us, We twinkle below  
Good morning starshine, you lead us along  
My love and me as we sing our early morning singing song  
Gliddy glup gloopy nibby nabby nooby la la la lo lo  
Sabba sibby sabba nooby abba nabba le le lo lo  
Tooby ooby walla nooby abba nabba  
Early morning singing song

Good morning starshine, the earth says "Hello"  
You twinkle above us, We twinkle below  
Good morning starshine, You lead us along  
My love and me as we sing our early morning singing song  
Gliddy glup gloopy nibby nabby nooby la la la lo lo  
Sabba sibby sabba nooby abba nabba le le lo lo  
Tooby ooby walla nooby abba nabba  
Early morning singing song

Singing a song, humming a song, singing a song  
Loving a song, laughing a song, sing the song  
Sing the song, song the sing  
Song, song, song, sing, sing, sing, sing song

Niki carefully cracked the window open a bit to better hear the early morning concert and as she watched further, a single thought filled her head: _I now know how to answer people who ask me how a smart, attractive, lady like me ended up with Sheldon Cooper. I will tell them that for all his quirks and eccentricities, Dr. Sheldon Cooper has more heart than any man I have ever met._

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Period. End of Story. Thank you all for your patience and for reading this little story of mine. I do hope you had moments of enjoyment reading it. For the most part, I have enjoyed writing it and publishing it to this site. I even used the birth circumstances of my son for part of the story. That was fun remembering all of that. Again, thank you all.


End file.
